Waterford man climbing Kilimanjaro forced to stop due to altitude sickness - but washing machine made it to the summit
An Irishman who attempted to climb Kilimanjaro with a washing machine on his back had to turn around due to altitude sickness.
However, schoolteacher Enda O'Doherty ensured the kitchen appliance made it to the summit.
The Waterford native was taking on the challenge for mental health charity Pieta House with the message 'share the load'.
This washing machine was carried up Kilimanjaro to represent the heavy load that so many people carry within themselves. #ShareTheLoad pic.twitter.com/f37CxuXo1c
— Pieta (@PietaHouse) July 13, 2017
Mr O'Doherty was full of praise his team and the locals who helped get the washing machine to the top.
"What I saw was the more they were squeezed physically and emotionally, the brighter they shone. They just teamed together," he said.
"People took turns, it was dragged, it was pulled. We had to get help from the Tanzanians in the final night, but that washing machine and the tricolour made it to the top, Uhuru Point, and a photograph was taken."
