TRUE NORTH HEROES UPDATE: Luke Kittel and “Conquering Kili”
by Leslie Parsons
“Great things are done when men and mountains meet.” – William Blake
In 2018, after a series of injuries and infections that occurred during his military service, veteran Luke Kittel had his right leg amputated from the knee down. One of his first post-surgery goals was to reach- and exceed- the level of fitness and athletic activity he had enjoyed while serving in the United States Army. In 2021, Luke completed his first Iron Man Triathlon. Since then, he has regularly competed in long-distance running and swimming competitions, often to raise funds for worthy causes.
Luke has been looking for his next big challenge.
In 2022, that next challenge presented itself when Luke was invited to participate in “Conquering Kili.” This is an invitation-only event put on by Waterboys, an organization that is working to provide sustainable, clean drinking water to communities around the world. For the past seven years, Waterboys has brought together professional athletes, veterans, and clean water advocates who share the goal of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and raising funds to build sustainable water wells in Africa.
Nate Boyer-a U.S. Army Green Beret, former member of the Seattle Seahawks, and co-founder of Waterboys- initially invited Luke to participate in the 2023 climb. Due to prior commitments Luke had to decline, but asked that a space be held for him in the 2024 group. With his participation now confirmed and the dates set for February 18-29, 2024, Luke has begun the arduous process of preparing to climb one of the world’s highest mountains.
Currently, Luke’s physical training is similar to his preparation for triathlons, but with a stronger emphasis on endurance. In October, he will work towards being able to walk 5-6 hours at a time while carrying a backpack loaded down with weights. During the actual climb, he will be expected to keep a steady pace while carrying approximately 35 pounds. He is also in the process of consulting with his prosthetist to ensure that he has a prosthetic leg that fits properly and can withstand the rigors of hiking Mount Kilimanjaro. While Luke can handle routine maintenance of his leg, he will not have access to specialists once the climb begins. The construction of his leg will need to be simple enough to avoid the need for major repairs during the climb. Luke will also have to carry extra valves and other small parts in case there are issues.
In addition to physical training, Luke has to meet the $8,500 fundraising goal set by Waterboys. This money will be used to build a well in a village in Tanzania, providing the residents with easily accessible clean water. When Luke initially told Greg Parsons, CEO of CAVU Securities and founder of the True North Foundation, about his intention to participate in Conquering Kili, Greg suggested that True North sponsor Luke’s climb as the foundation has done for his previous races. However, Luke had other fundraising plans in mind.
Luke is determined to not only raise funds for the Waterboys initiative, but to exceed the minimum goal and to donate excess funds to True North instead. He hopes that the foundation can support other para-athletes who embody the qualities he holds dear: determination, perseverance, integrity, and commitment.
It is clear that Luke is sincere in his desire to help others the way he has been helped. However, it is also clear that his reasons for Conquering Kili are deeply personal. He is always pushing himself to go harder and further than he has before (he says that after climbing Kilimanjaro, he is seriously considering entering his first Ultraman competition). Committing to a project like Conquering Kili also gives Luke a sense of purpose that is close to what he had when he was in the Army. He considers True North to be his team and says, “I will hold myself true to what I say I will do for True North because True North has done the same for me.”
If you would like to support Luke Kittel as he begins his journey towards Conquering Kili, please visit our website where youcan purchase a t-shirt or make a direct donation. For more news about Luke and the other amazing veterans and veteran non-profits True North supports, please consider subscribing to our newsletter.