21-Year-Old Man Climbs Thai Mountain Blindfolded To Raise Money For Charity

A 21-year-old student has climbed a mountain in Thailand with an elevation of over 5,000 feet while blindfolded to bolster funds for a charity that supported his blind sister.

Ed Smith, who is pursuing philosophy at the Cambridge University in the U.K., embarked on a three-day hiking trip to the Doi Suthep, which reaches 5,499 ft at its peak. He took up this adventure to raise money for his sister, Harriet, who has been visually impaired since birth.

Smith, who was accompanied by his girlfriend, Eimear Pickstone as he explored the "really steep" terrains of the mountain range, said he was dependent on her for even the smallest need during the 72-hour "blackout," BBC reported.

"It was non stop; sleeping, eating, hiking, swimming, everything, the blindfold was on," Smith told the BBC. "The hardest part wasn't climbing the mountain, it was having to rely on Eimear for everything - asking her for my bottle of water, or to help me find my toothpaste."

He went on to add it was an awkward experience for Pickstone too, to have to micromanage everything in his schedule.

"It was really tough giving up all my independence to her, and tough for her to be so intertwined with my life for three whole days," he added.

Smith, from Moreton Pinkney in Northamptonshire, confessed even as he wanted to tear off his blindfold and witness the scenic beauty that surrounded him, he remained true to his aim, only removing the patch to wash his face, his eyes remaining shut.

But, Smith said at the end, the climb turned out to be rewarding for him as he was able to have an eyeful of the gorgeous view from the mountaintop. "It was quite a feeling when we got to the top, and a different experience for Eimear, too, as there were beautiful views up there. For me, it was a powerful feeling of raw achievement and relief," Smith explained.

Smith said he couldn't wait to speak to his sister, having gone through her daily struggles in real-time.

"I felt I learned a lot about my brave, strong, incredible sister and the challenges she faces, and about myself," The Thaiger quoted Smith, as saying.

Smith has raised $3,988.88 (143,000 Thai baht) for the Royal National Institute for the Blind.