Dad and daughter duo conquer Mount Kilimanjaro for a good cause
A father and daughter duo has just returned home to Fredericton after experiencing an adventure of a lifetime.
Last year, Brian and Forest Jones set their sights on scaling the highest mountain in Africa together - Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The plan became reality for the two this past December.
“It was insanely nerve-wracking,” says Forest Jones.
“The whole entire journey to get to the base of the mountain, I was constantly thinking of ‘What happens if I don’t make it up? What happens if you get sick halfway up?’ So all that’s left to do is your best and just walk for so many hours a day.”
It wasn’t just the physical climb the two had to contend with, altitude, nutrition and climate zone changes presented a challenge as they made their way up the mountain.
“Your extremes do go from plus 30 in the rainforest to minus 20, minus 25 at the summit,” says Brian Jones.
“Which makes it a logistical nightmare from a clothing perspective because you have to obtain all of these clothes – one minute you’re wearing a t-shirt and the next minute you’re wearing three layers and two coats.”
After five and a half days of climbing more than 19,000 feet, the pair made it to the top – just in time for a sunrise.
“It felt absolutely amazing, it was a lot of pain for the first six hours of climbing in the middle of the night,” says Forest.
“But once you get to a certain point, about forty minutes from the top, the hike there is just adrenaline.”
Much of the determination to reach the summit came from the desire to raise money for the “Feed the Lions” program for Leo Hayes High School in Fredericton, which helps students experiencing food insecurity.
The goal is $10,000 and so far, about $7,000 has been raised. Donations are still rolling in, and being welcomed.
“Even though it may go unseen, there are a lot of students who don’t have reliable access to affordable and nutritious food, and food stability is such a major issue especially in the winter months,” says Forest.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Canadian-Israeli man shot dead in Egypt; claim links killing to Gaza
A Canadian man 'of Jewish Israeli descent' has been shot dead in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in a suspected criminal case, a security source said, while a previously unknown militant group said it carried out the attack in reaction to the war in Gaza.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Bank of Canada says financial system is stable, but risks remain
The Bank of Canada says the Canadian financial system is stable, but risks remain due to debt servicing costs among households and businesses and stretched valuations of financial assets.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.