By NATE KING
Salina Post
Imagine you just graduated from college and you have saved up enough money to travel before settling into your career and then, tragedy strikes. That is only part of story for 10-time world record breaking explorer, Colin O'Brady.
O'Brady's personal story of recovery, resiliency and the tenacious spirit of never giving up were the subject of his speech at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting on Tuesday.
Humble beginnings
Raised in Portland, Ore., O'Brady spent his childhood exploring the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Colin said he was an active kid and excelled at sports. Ultimately, he was recruited to swim at Yale University where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics in 2006.
The resources to travel internationally weren’t there growing up, so O'Brady painted houses to earn money. After college graduation and before settling into his career, he took his backpack and surfboard and set out on what would be his first "expedition."
While visiting Thailand in 2008, O'Brady suffered a tragic accident and was severely burned in a fire; his injuries covered nearly 25 percent of his body, primarily damaging his legs and feet. Doctor’s warned him he might never walk again normally.
"It's strange to say, it was one of the worst things ever happened to me, but the resiliency that my mother instilled in me through the recovery of that actually made me stronger," O'Brady said. "We've heard it said before, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and that's been a huge key to success for me, as well as not just working out physically with the muscles, but taking my mind to the mental gym."
For O'Brady, taking himself to the mental gym, consists of meditation practices in order to flex his "mental muscle."
Right back at it
After 18-months of extensive rehabilitation following his accident, O'Brady made headlines when he not only completed his first triathlon at the Chicago Triathlon, be he also placed first overall.
O'Brady's triathlon success did not go unnoticed. Soon after the race, sponsors began supporting his races and O'Brady soon became a professional triathlete. He has raced in 25 countries on six continents, representing the United States in multiple international triathlon competitions.
Climbing Everest and crossing Antarctica
After six years of training and participating in triathlons, O'Brady, in collaboration with his then fiancée, now wife, Jenna, decided he would take on the formidable challenge of completing the Explorers Grand Slam - in world record time.
The Explorers Grand Slam or Adventurers Grand Slam is an adventurers challenge to reach the North Pole, the South Pole and seven of eight summits of:
● Everest (Nepal)
● Aconcagua (Argentina)
● Denali (USA)
● Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
● Elbrus (Russia)
● Vinson (Antarctica)
● Jaya (Indonesia)
● Kosciuszko (Australia)
In 2016, after saving funds for 18 months, O'Brady finally was able to attempt to summit Mt. Everest.
"So many stories from that, but it didn't go perfectly right," O'Brady said. "I went up and got up to Camp Four, which the last camp before the summit, which is also known as the death zone. The human body can't survive up there for very long, even with supplemental oxygen, and I got caught in a massive storm."
O'Brady said surviving in those conditions was one of the scariest nights of his entire life.
"Instead of going up towards the summit, I was lucky, I had to actually come climb down the mountain and retreat. And most people thought that was the end for me, and that was the end of that expedition," O'Bryan said.
Most people would be proven wrong. Less than a few days following his failed attempt, O'Bryan summoned enough courage to take advantage of the last good weather window on Mt. Everest. On his second attempt, O'Bryan achieved his lifelong dream.
On May 27, 2016, the world record project came to a victorious end. O'Brady conquered The Explorers Grand Slam in a world record shattering 139 days.
Fewer than 50 people have ever completed this staggering achievement, and only four in under a year. With grit and perseverance, Colin became the fastest person to complete the mountaineering challenge, and in the process also broke the speed record for The Seven Summits in 132 days.
"Everest is, of course, the tallest mountain in the world, something I dreamed of climbing since I was a little kid," O'Brady said. "I never knew how I was going to be able to get over there and train for it or even afford but kind of kept that dream alive for many decades of my life."
O'Brady's determined attitude and desire to achieve the impossible, didn't just cease after climbing Everest. In 2017, after talks with his wife and family, O'Brady began training for an expedition that many viewed as impossible; the world-first solo crossing of Antarctica.
Knowing that it would be the most challenging physical and mental effort of his life, Colin enlisted the help of polar experts, physical trainers, and nutrition specialists.
On Nov. 3, 2018, on the shoulders of polar giants like Scott, Shackleton, and Ousland, O'Brady set off from the western edge of Antarctica.
He didn't have anyone coming to give him supplies, he didn't use a dog sled or kites, and he was completely alone.
Each mile, O'Brady pulled his 300 pound sled, battling excruciating windchills as low as -80 degrees, paralyzing whiteouts, and extremely high winds.
After a historic 54 grueling days walking over 930 miles, on Dec. 26, 2018, O'Brady completed the world's first solo, unsupported, and completely human powered crossing of Antarctica.
A pair of mountaineers
Flash forward five years later, in 2021, O'Brady had the opportunity to go back to Nepal with his wife, who after seeing him climb Everest, set the goal for herself to climb Mount Everest.
On June 1, 2021, they summited Mount Everest together, making them the fourth married couple to ever stay on the summit together.
"It wasn't a world record, like some of the other climbs, but I would say it's probably the most 'peak' experience of all my adventures," O'Bryan said.
A message to share
After O'Brady accomplished the impossible, The New York Times reported that O'Brady's most recent expedition “joined some of the most remarkable achievements in polar history.”
His expedition caught fire and garnered over two billion earned media impressions worldwide. During the expedition, tens of thousands of school children engaged with Colin’s expeditions via curriculum developed by his non-profit, Beyond7/2, which, according to his website, "aims to inspire kids and their communities to live active, healthy lives and pursue their biggest dreams."
"I hope people remember that, you are the story that you tell yourself. So make sure you're telling yourself that positive story, that uplifting story, because it all starts in your mind so you can achieve anything you set your mind to."
O'Brady said that he felt humbled to be invited to speak in front of a group of esteemed business professionals.
"I know there's so many different businesses and people from different backgrounds here in Salina, but I always believe that we all have a goal inside of us," O'Brady said. "I joke around and say, maybe not everyone wants to go freeze their butt off in the middle of nowhere by themselves like I did an Antarctic- that's not for everyone. But, I believe that we all have a masterpiece inside of us. "
O'Brady said one concept he likes to leave audience thinking about is-"What's your Everest? What's your burning desire? What's your goal that feels a little bit out of reach?"
He said one of the most important aspects of reaching the summit of your goals is to ensure you have community.
"I read an article by a Yale professor, Dr. Laurie Santos, who's done all this research on happiness, and basically, the number one thing of all things is community, at the end of the day, in terms of happiness, fulfillment, and even physical health, mental health, etc., really derives down to our personal relationships," O'Brady said. "It's not necessarily being close in proximity to people, but it's actually having the fabric of the community."
O'Brady said he really enjoyed talking with Renee Duxler, new CEO and president of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, because he could tell how much she loves the City of Salina.
"She loves Salina, because it feels like the deep connection to community, you know your neighbors, you know the folks that you go to school with, you know the person down the street," O'Brady said. "You know people are there to help you out, and I think that really makes all the difference."
The annual membership meeting included a brief review of the chamber's accomplishments in 2022, followed by remarks by outgoing Board Chair Travis Young, Vortex Global, and newly installed Board Chair Alysia Starkey, K-State Salina.