Edward Michael Grylls: Climbing Mt. Everest changed my life forever
Born on June 7, 1974, in the UK, Bear Grylls was introduced to outdoor adventure at a young age by his father, who was a politician and a member of the prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron.
He learned mountaineering, skydiving, and martial arts as a teenager and later joined the British Special Air Service (SAS), where he was trained in unarmed combat, jungle warfare, survival techniques, and high-altitude skydiving.
Near-Fatal Accident & Recovery
In 1996, at the age of 21, Bear Grylls suffered a horrific parachuting accident while training in Zambia. His parachute failed to open properly, and he fell from 16,000 feet (4,900 meters), breaking his back in three places.
Doctors were unsure if he would ever walk again, but through intense rehabilitation and determination, he recovered within 18 months.
Climbing Mount Everest
Despite the injury, Bear Grylls set his sights on climbing Mount Everest. After months of training, he joined a British expedition.
On May 16, 1998, at the age of 23, he became one of the youngest Britons to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest.His journey was incredibly tough—he faced frostbite, near-death experiences, and extreme exhaustion, but he made it back down safely.
Career as an Adventurer & TV Host
His Everest success launched his career as an adventurer. He wrote books and started appearing on TV, which eventually led to his hit survival series Man vs. Wild in 2006.
The show made him a global icon, as he demonstrated extreme survival techniques in harsh environments, from drinking his own urine to eating live animals.
Since then, he has hosted multiple survival shows, including Running Wild with Bear Grylls, where he takes celebrities like Barack Obama, Tom Cruise, and Kate Winslet on survival adventures.
