The Nelson Star is hosting an evening of inspiration featuring a dramatic tale of defying in the odds by a woman who’s passion is outdoor adventure.
Isabel Suppé is a mountain climber who will share her story of survival at an event called Reach Your Peak. The woman who spent most of her life climbing in the Andes Mountains of South America suffered a dramatic fall in 2010 that took the life of her partner.
Nearing the summit of Ala Izuierda, a 17,761-foot peak in Bolivia, Peter Wiesenekker slipped on ice, ripping out their anchors, and the climbers fell over 1,100 feet down the face of the mountain. With broken bones and extremely cold temperatures, survival seemed unlikely.
But Suppé persevered. Determined to live, the woman dragged her battered body across the glacier hopeful to reach help. Her first night, she perched — determined to stay awake — upon a rock to keep her clothes from freezing to the ice. Then she carried on. Though her leg was broken and foot crushed, she spent the next 48 hours crawling.
While Suppé was rescued, Wiesenekker died of hypothermia.
Further defying the odds, Suppé didn’t listen to medical experts telling her she would never walk normally again, much less climb. Her recover has included many surgeries and countless hours of rehab. Driven by a passion for the sport, and life, the woman describes it all in her book Starry Night.
Soon after the accident, she was back climbing with her right leg hanging behind her. Still on crutches she was the first woman to solo Argentina’s Nevado de Cachiit peak.
Just finished a bike trip across the US to raise money for surgery on her ankle, Suppé is hopeful that she will walk without crutches with the help of that surgery.
Featured on ESPN and National Geographic, she will be sharing her story of strength in Nelson at Reach your Peak held on November 7 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the Prestige Lakeside Resort.
The evening is the second such event being hosted by the Star. Publisher Karen Bennett was thrilled at the reception of Find Your Divine that brought leading Canadian author and nutritionist Leslie Beck to Nelson in April.
"After the success of our spring women's event, we thought that an outdoors-themed event would be great for fall,” she said. “Isabelle's story is incredibly inspiring for everyone to hear. It is going to be a great evening.”
Tickets are on sale for Reach Your Peak with early bird prices of $30 available. They go up to $35 on October 21 and will not be available at the door.
Admission includes a light appetizer and wine or beer. There will be a cash bar to follow.