Against All Odds
YOU South Africa|11 August 2022
Car accidents, a hijacking, kidney stones, two strokes and a heart blockage - none of it stopped him climbing Africa's highest peak
By Nasifa Sulaiman
Against All Odds

The journey of life comes with many twists and turns and the ability to handle them can test the mettle of the strongest person.

But if you ever need to look to someone for inspiration on how to deal with curveballs, Shaheen Soomar is your man.

The 43-year-old dad from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape has survived 11 car crashes, a hijacking, nine kidney stones, two strokes, and a heart blockage, yet it hasn't stopped him from living life to the fullest.

And he proved this recently when he summited Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, fulfilling a longstanding dream to climb Africa's highest peak.

He'd planned to climb Mount Everest three years ago but the trip had to be cancelled after he suffered a stroke. So when a group of family and friends invited him to join them in climbing Kilimanjaro in July this year to raise funds for education in rural Tanzania, he jumped at the chance.

Unlike most climbers who tackle the mountain, Shaheen didn't do much in the way of preparation.

"I didn't do any research to see what the climb was going to be like - I just basically went into this thing completely blind," he says. "A part of me felt I wanted to do it, while another part of me felt my medical condition wouldn't allow it."

Three weeks before the group set off for Tanzania, he joined a social hiking club, went on three hikes with them, then went to buy climbing gear.

Shaheen, who owns a cellular company in Gqeberha, initially planned to join the climbing team for only a few days of the eight-day summit, just for the experience of having been on the famous mountain.

Denne historien er fra 11 August 2022-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra 11 August 2022-utgaven av YOU South Africa.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA YOU SOUTH AFRICASe alt
BALLON IN THE BAG
YOU South Africa

BALLON IN THE BAG

Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
IT WAS ALL A LIE
YOU South Africa

IT WAS ALL A LIE

A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
YOU South Africa

'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'

After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country

time-read
10+ mins  |
14 November 2024
AGREE TO DISAGREE
YOU South Africa

AGREE TO DISAGREE

Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
PAUSE THE CLOCK
YOU South Africa

PAUSE THE CLOCK

Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
MPOOMY ON TOP
YOU South Africa

MPOOMY ON TOP

We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
YOU South Africa

MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME

Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MATT THE RECLUSE
YOU South Africa

MATT THE RECLUSE

A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
A LEAP OF FAITH
YOU South Africa

A LEAP OF FAITH

After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
YOU South Africa

THEY'RE MY KIDS!

This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024