In a remarkable display of resilience and determination, ten-year-old Luke Mortimer, a quadruple amputee, is gearing up to conquer a daunting challenge – summitting the 656-foot Embsay Crag in North Yorkshire.
Despite facing the profound physical challenges of limb loss and the fact that he’s just a decade old, Luke is driven by a heartfelt mission to raise funds for fellow children with disabilities. The extraordinary feat is his way of expressing gratitude to the charities that supported him during his arduous journey of recovery.
It was when Luke was just the tender age of seven when he fell victim to the severe bacterial infections, meningococcal meningitis and septicemia. Though he survived both of these life threatening illnesses, the result was significant, having lost all four limbs.
Over the course of ten weeks, Luke had to go through an astonishing 23 surgeries to replace missing skin and address the wounds that transpired due to all of the infections.
Since his family’s relocation to the Embsay area in 2019, Luke has harbored a dream of conquering the nearby Embsay Crag – a vision that he can witness from the garden of his rural home sharing that he’s “determined” to reach the summit.
This Saturday, on November 4, Luke will embark on a challenging two-mile trek to the summit, marking it as his personal ‘Everest.’ His motivation extends beyond personal achievement, it is a noble endeavor to give back to the amputee charity, LimbPower and BBC’s Children in Need (donate here) – a show on which he appeared just last year – both of which played a pivotal role in his recovery.
“When we moved here, we were going down the road to Embsay, and I just saw the crag, and I said, ‘Mum, dad, one day can we climb it? It’s been a few years now, but I feel very determined about getting to the top and back down. I think the worst thing that can happen is probably rain,” said Luke.
The grueling journey up the steep crag is not lost on Luke’s family, particularly his father, Adam Mortimer. Acknowledging the toughness of the challenge, Adam emphasizes that Luke is resolute in reaching the peak on his own. Luke will be equipped with a set of shortened knee-length prosthetics, affectionately known as ‘stubbies,’ for the climb – a testament to his indominable spirit.
Luke’s dad said, “It will take as long as it takes. We don’t have a set time because I don’t want to put him under any pressure. It’s just going to be at Luke’s pace, up and back down.”
The charitable support extended to Luke has been substantial, with over £15,000 (approximately $18,000) in donations pouring in from a compassionate community. These funds facilitated the acquisition of a suite of prosthetics crucial to Luke’s rehabilitation. Additionally, they covered the expenses of his first robotic arm, empowering him to achieve greater independence in his daily life.
Luke’s journey is a testament not only to his personal triumph over adversity but also to the generosity of charitable organizations and well-wishers. The Band of Builders, a volunteer organization, played a pivotal role in enhancing Luke’s living situation by implementing a range of adaptations in the bungalow where he resides.
These modifications, unveiled on September 3, reflect a collaborative effort to create an environment that caters to Luke’s unique needs.
Luke’s challenge begins from the parking lot at the Embsay Reservoir at 10 a.m. on a Saturday, where cakes and refreshments will be sold for charity before the hike begins.
“There’s a few people that have said they’ll come along—it’s kind of an open invitation,” said Adam. “We’ve done it at his school, we’ve put it online.”
Chief Executive at BBC Children in Need, Simon Antrobus, wished Luke the “best of luck” for his fundraising initiative. The tenacity and courage displayed by this young quadruple amputee serve as an inspiration, highlighting the transformative impact of community support and the potential for individuals to overcome formidable challenges in their quest to make a positive difference.
He said, “We would like to extend our enormous thanks to Luke for taking on such an inspiring challenge and for choosing BBC Children in Need as one of the charities to benefit from his fundraising. We wish him lots of luck for next weekend and cannot wait to see how he gets on.”
See more about Luke’s inspiring story in the video below:
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