Kionte Storey, a Marine who lost his leg overseas seven years ago, is working to raise money for others in need of prosthetic care.
The veteran was in Afghanistan when he lost his right leg below the knee to an improvised explosive device.
He says the physical aspect is hard but "it's more of a mental struggle. That's really the hardest battle of all."
Since returning home, Storey has tried to make the US Paralympic team twice as a sprinter but when that fell through, he discovered a new love of mountain climbing.
“That was that mental breakthrough, at least for me, being on that mountain was just [an] incredible experience overall.”
Currently, Storey is currently working with the Range of Motion Project (ROMP), a non-profit that provides prosthetics and orthopedic care for people in underserved countries.
He is preparing to make a 19,000-foot climb to the top of Cayambe volcano while carrying a 40-pound backpack to help him cope with the effects of the change in altitude.
"The way I got to the summit was just thinking about my friends we lost overseas during our deployment. Knowing why you're out there is really going to get you to the top."
Storey has already raised $4,200 for the climb which will help 10 people with prosthetic care.
After the volcano climb, Storey is looking to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to benefit veterans with traumatic brain injuries through the Bob Woodruff Foundation.