On Aug. 4, Alexan
Bayanduryan, 34, made the strenuous climb to the summit of Mt. Ararat on one
leg and a pair of crutches as part of an international expedition. Armenian
American Varuzhan Amirhanian from the Pyunic Union for the Disabled joined and
assisted Bayanduryan, whose climb up Mt. Ararat came after three years of
training.
Alexan Bayanduryan,
34, made the strenuous climb to the summit of Mt. Ararat on one leg and a pair
of crutches as part of an international expedition.
In 1993, during the
Artsakh War, Bayanduryan lost his left leg to a mine explosion. A father of
two, he is known to be an active sportsman, participating in a number of
wheelchair marathons, as well as an annual climb to the top of Mt. Aragats
since 1997, organized by Pyunic.
“I was unaware of
the difficulties I might face. The main obstacles came across at an elevation
of 4,200 miles, but then oxygen shortage and headache were easily overcome. My
mission was to climb Ararat in the name of the fallen soldiers-liberators, and I
achieved my goal. Unfortunately, we could not see Armenia from the top because
of the fog,” he said during a press conference.
Bayanduryan is the
first man to climb the mountain on one foot. His next challenge will be to
conquer Mt. Everest. “I must reach the summit of Everest. After a three-year
effort, I managed to climb Ararat. Let’s see how much time I will need to scale
Everest,” he was quoted as saying.
The Pyunic Union for
the Disabled was established in 1988, and currently has 3,000 members. Its
mission has been to protect the rights and legal interests of the disabled; to
support the financial, medical, social, physical, and psychological needs of its
members; and to promote sports for the disabled. Among other projects, the
organization, whose director Hakob Abrahamyan is also president of the Armenian
National Paralympics Committee, supported the two athletes who participated in
the 2010 Paralympics that took place in Vancouver, Canada. The annual climb to
the top of Mt. Aragats, organized by Pyunic, is scheduled to take place on
Sept. 21.
In September 2009,
Erik Weinmayer became the first known blind person to reach the summit of Mt.
Ararat. The first recorded climb to the summit was made by explorer Dr.
Friedrich Parrot, a professor of physics, and educator and poet Khachatur
Abovian in 1829.
About 20 miles south
of the Armenian border, the snow covered Mt. Ararat stands nearly 17,000 feet
tall. It is believed to be the resting place of Noah’s Ark, and is a national
symbol for Armenians worldwide.
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