A YOUNG Bahraini who battled Covid-19 twice and was bedridden for a month has beaten all odds by climbing more than 5,000 metres to touch the base camp of Mount Everest.
Faisel Ebrahim, 39, and his wife surmounted all challenges and embarked on the ambitious journey to regain confidence in his health and instill hope in others who have been battered by the pandemic.
“I was infected with Covid-19 twice – first in September 2021 and again in January this year – and the second attack was so debilitating that I was bedridden for a month,” Mr Ebrahim, a freelance cybersecurity consultant and life coach, told the GDN.
“I probably suffered from Long Covid as the symptoms lingered for months after the first infection, though I tested negative each time. I battled continuous cough and fatigue since September.
“And then again, I tested positive in January, which was a major blow as it left me unable to move for days on end. “Covid-19 not only affected me physically, but mentally as well. “That is when I decided to take up the challenge of hiking to the base camp of Mount Everest, to gain back all that I had lost.” It was an uphill battle, but Mr Ebrahim was determined.
He took up intense physiotherapy sessions in February and once he was able to move normally, he started his training regime to prepare for the adventure.
“Everest is not easy, the cold is brutal, the trek is long, and the higher you reach, the lower the oxygen levels become,” he said. “You need a lot of physical and mental strength, more so after Covid-19, as you will be walking for around eight to 10 hours per day under harsh conditions.”
On March 15, Mr Ebrahim embarked on the journey of a lifetime with his wife, Philippine national Leslie Ledesma.
“We reached Nepal the same day and touched the base camp nine days later,” he said, adding that the feeling was exhilarating.
He, however, stressed the importance of having ‘someone by your side’ during such adventures.
“You need a person to talk to,” he said. Ms Ledesma, who has been married to Mr Ebrahim for 12 years, agreed. “You may feel like giving up as the trek of Everest is tiresome, it is good to have someone who keeps you motivated,” the 34-year-old marketing executive said.
Ms Ledesma saw her husband fighting Covid-19 and recuperating with utmost determination, which motivated her to practice and train for the trip. “It was a journey of a lifetime, an accomplishment to be proud of and to share with our children in future,” she said. “However, we had to be prepared, the mountain is unpredictable and so many things could go wrong any moment.”
This is not the couple’s first adventure.
Ms Ledesma had climbed Mount Apo in the Philippines in 2003 at the age of 16 and scaled it a second time alongside her husband in 2017.
“This time, we only made it to Mount Everest base camp which is already more than 5,000m above ground,” Mr Ebrahim said.
“We soon hope to climb the mountains of Africa, of both North and South America, and when ready, come back once more to climb the peak of Everest - which stands at the height of 8,848m - before 2030.”
aref@gdn.com.bh
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