Chapter 5: One "Small" Step for Womankind ...

At some point, I started to hear the voices from the ground.  I could hear my “entourage” of supportive friends shouting out to me.  I would shout back and they heard me too.  It helped to give me encouragement and it was wonderful to feel their support.

My friend (to support her privacy, I will refer to her as R) was below supporting me.  She was someone I wanted to honor for this event because her life has been forever changed after a car accident with a drunk driver a few years ago.  “Disability” can look and come in so many different ways.  This was for her and all those whose lives that have been forever changed.  I was so grateful that she and my other friends were able to come out and be there for me. Having friendly faces witnessing this journey was so awesome I have to say!

I could tell that I was getting closer to the bottom as I was able to rappel down faster.  I lost my footing off the building at one point and was twirling around a bit.  All I could do was giggle. I had extra rope somehow and I realized I had to pull it through as I was getting a little caught in it.  It took some time to maneuver it so I could get back on track.



I could hear the MC say that I “was taking my time”.  It took me 21 minutes to get down but the important thing is, I made it down.  As I said, it wasn’t a race for me. This was my journey and it would be done in my way and my timing.

When my feet were finally close to touching the ground, all of a sudden, it felt like it went by too fast.  Then the Crux Climbing employees helped to take off the equipment.

 

 

I could hear my friends.  They came up to hug me.  I started to cry.  Then I would laugh.  I was all over the map emotionally; happy, then crying, then laughing, then crying.

Pictures were being taken.  Then I was called over for an interview (which luckily was on my video because I forgot to some extent what I had said!)

The interviewer asked me if I would recommend this to my friends and I said “Yes, but it doesn’t mean they are going to do it!”  Although my neighbour showed up to watch me and was inspired to sign up for next year’s event!  Way to go Rob!   

CONTINUED:  LAST CHAPTER, CHAPTER 6 TO FOLLOW!