Page 49 - SA Mountain Issue 62

LEFT FOOT RIGHT FOOT
A STORY ABOUT FALLING DOWN AND GETTING UP BY ROBBY KOJETIN
SELF PUBLISHED
A5, 252 PAGES, 10 PAGES OF COLOUR IMAGES
AVAILABLE ONLINE CAPEUNIONMART.CO.ZA AMAZON.COM
REVIEW BY TONY LOURENS
This book is not just a book on climbing mountains, it is a book about one man’s ght from rock bottom to the summit of the highest point on this earth.
Just over a decade ago, Robby Kojetin crushed both his ankles in a freak accident at an indoor climbing gym in Jo’burg. At that stage, he was a young man with vivid dreams, a thirst for climbing mountains, and with plans to soon be married to the woman he loved. All that came to a sudden and horrible end as he landed between two crash mats and felt both his ankles shatter.
Nearly one year in a wheelchair saw Robby lose just about everything he had and loved. No job, no money, de nitely no climbing and the marriage that was supposed to be never happened. Living with his mother during this incredibly dif cult time, Robby sank to the rockiest of rock bottoms and depression took hold in no uncertain terms, to the point of him contemplating suicide.
After many surgeries and treatments, Robby eventually shed the wheelchair and started working again as a graphic designer, but luck was not with him then either, as he went from job to job. During this time, his close friend, John Black was enquiring about joining a commercial expedition to climb Mount Everest and invited Robby to join him, but at a price tag upwards of half a million rand, it was totally out
of his nancial reach. And then Robby’s luck started to change. He started a fundraising campaign in support of cancer, and was also approached by corporate companies with a sponsorship deal. In short, the nances were made available, and so began his journey to the top of the world.
Although fraught with terrible pain in his ankles and bad immobility, Robby managed to slowly work his way from camp to camp up the anks of Everest, helped along by daily doses of painkillers, until he nally stood on the summit. Then came the unbearable suffering of the long and arduous descent.
Robby has since been on many expeditions around the world in his quest to climb the Seven Summits, of which he has two remaining. He has now also become a motivational speaker, an author, and K-Way’s Expedition Series Ambassador. Although still plagued with ‘inadequate’ ankles, it has not stopped Robby from chasing his dreams.
Cape Union Mart is partnering with Robby, and all proceeds from this book will go towards the funding of his next expedition to Mount Vinson in Antarctica, which will be number six of the Seven Summits.
Left Foot Right Foot is a very readable book of one man’s journey to hell and back, his determination and grit, and what can be achieved if you really want it.
BOOK REVIEW
Robby Kojetin - International Motivational Speaker, Everest Summiteer, Author, K-WAY Expedition Series Ambassador, All-round Nice Guy 082 419 2767 robbyspeaks.com
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