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BOULDER, Colo. -
Matt Moniz, the 11-year-old Boulderite who became the youngest person ever to summit Argentina's 22,841-foot Cerro Aconcagua last December, has set his sights on a daunting new project.
Starting Friday, he and a group of family and friends will attempt to climb 14 of Colorado's 14ers in 14 days to raise money for an ailing friend, Ian Hess.
So far, Moniz has raised about $14,000. Details of the climbing project are on Moniz's Web site, www.climb7.com.
"Basically, he's my best friend," said Matt, who grew up next to Ian in Boulder Canyon.
Nine-year-old Ian has pulmonary arterial hypertension and requires about $100,000 in annual medical treatment and medicines, according to Matt's father, Mike Moniz, who owns a local software company.
The money from Matt's fundraising climb will help with treatments that are not covered by insurance. Eventually, the Hess family hopes that stem-cell therapy or gene therapy can improve their son's health, Moniz said.
About 10 people, including classmates from Boulder's Flatirons Elementary, will accompany Matt at various points on his 14 summit attempts, with his father and Ian's father, John Hess, joining him on every climb.
Besides raising funds for Ian, Matt said the series of climbs is a way for him to walk in his friend's shoes.
"Ian is always struggling for oxygen because of his illness," said Matt, who conceived of this latest climbing project to redirect attention from his success on Aconcagua to his friend's illness. "What I feel on top of mountains is what he feels every day."
In addition to Aconcagua, Matt and Mike Moniz have summitted two more of the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on all seven continents. They've climbed Europe's Mount Elbrus (18,510 feet) and Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro (19,341 feet), and they've also trekked to Everest Base Camp, where they summitted nearby 18,501-foot Kala Patar.
"I might try to do them all some day," Matt said of climbing the remaining Seven Summits. "But I'm in no rush ... I like going all over the world, and I get to meet amazing new people."
Meanwhile, Matt is excited for his quest to climb 14 14ers in 14 days. The plan is to climb Grays, Torreys, Democrat, Lincoln, Bross, Shavano, Tabeguache, Antero, Belford, Oxford, Missouri, Elbert, Bierstadt and Evans mountains.
"I can't wait," he said. "Ian helped plan the whole thing, too."
This is awsome.Go for it kid!
Now we can read all the comments on how this is child abuse.....
krichards816@yahoo.com
7/5/2009 6:35:57 PM
Sure wish I had the luxury of elite white recreational activities at such a young age.
Must be nice.
NukesInBoulder
7/5/2009 8:37:23 PM
That's fantastic!! Great job and great role model!
bouldermom
7/5/2009 8:53:54 PM
Ambitious goal - will be rooting for you!
Nukes: So your plan is to just whine about it the rest of your life?
AliceInBoulderland
7/5/2009 9:33:00 PM
I feel so lazy.
Heck of a photo.Hope the kid makes it!
Nukes: what a miserable pos you must be in real life.
rojanko2003@yahoo.com
7/5/2009 9:57:46 PM
Matt, you've got grit. Good for you!
Nukes, you've got constipation. Good for you.
flaven
7/5/2009 9:58:34 PM
Hahahaha.... Nukes is such a loser.A great example for kids on how NOT to turn out when you grow up.
tunafishsandwich
7/5/2009 10:19:34 PM
What a powerful friendship these 2 boys have.KUDOS for then both....I wish them luck!!
NUKE~~~~this is neither an elite or white thing.....anyone can climb the mountain if they so desire....YOU, well, just keep watching Jerry Springer and sit on the couch whining.
Hope
7/5/2009 10:51:38 PM
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incercamiara
7/6/2009 5:09:30 AM
Very cool. Good luck on attempt.
NukesInBoulder, hiking peaks is one of the cheapest outdoor activities available, except for you. It would require expensive surgery to remove the large post from your rectum before attempting to hike.
pm
7/6/2009 7:34:37 AM
Good job kid; and mom and dad.Don't be player hatin' cuz the kids done more at 11 than you've ever done.Your technology still loves you and that kid probably doesn't even know how to blog.Relax, you're winning.
inherentrisk
7/6/2009 7:58:07 AM
They've certainly picked the easiest 14ers.This doesn't seem like that much of a challenge when you can bang out Lincoln, Democrat and Bross in a couple of hours.This isn't one hard 14er a day like the headline wants you to believe.Where's Longs?
spankymcgee
7/6/2009 8:07:04 AM
Good luck, Matt! You are a fantastic friend:)
staceyj
7/6/2009 8:35:36 AM
"This isn't one hard 14er a day like the headline wants you to believe. Where's Longs?"
There was no available parking for their monster RV nor the swarm of hired cameramen.So, that's why. BTW, I like the photographer's use of flood lights to create the side illumination of his face ... cool! Next question?
WolverineSmile
7/6/2009 9:06:11 AM
I am so poor and my life is so pathetic, but you know, I think I'll just b*tch about others and not do anything for myself.The real nooks.
nooksInBoulder
7/6/2009 9:25:39 AM
Whatever Spank! Belford and Oxford is a long hike, so is Shavano and Tabeguache. Not technical but both are over 11 miles R/T and 5,600 to 5,800 ft days. These are not the easiest 14'ers endurance wise! Get your facts straight. Plus doing those doubles can be quite dicey without stable weather. There is no way to bail off those. This is a great feat for a boy this young -or anyone else!
lodgecamp
7/6/2009 10:19:07 AM
there you go Nooks!!tell the truth!!
getgoodusa
7/6/2009 10:19:39 AM
The coolest thing about it is that at 11 years old, he doesn't give a crap what the likes of Spanker and Nukes think!
This kid is a compassionate young man who spends a lot of time thinking about people other than himself. A lot of "adults" in this community could benefit from taking a look at that.
I don't know the kid, but I am really proud of him.
inmyriver
7/6/2009 11:07:52 AM
Go for it!! Good luck to you on your climbs, and to your friend.
JT
7/6/2009 11:09:37 AM
Way to go, Matt.Have your website bookmarked for my kids at home.
soxfan
7/6/2009 11:25:37 AM
Having climbed a few 14ers a a youngster, I think it is one of the greatest things a kid could do with a summer vacation.I wish Matt blue skies and no electrical storms on his adventure.
However, I miss the days when we did fun and exciting things because they were fun and exciting.Why must people justify their adventures (and vanity) by claiming it's all for a cause?People don't climb mountains to raise money, they climb mountains for the joy of climbing and being in high places, and there isn't anything wrong with that.It seems disingenuous to pretend that doing something a little frivolous for two whole weeks is somehow a selfless act.In fact, credit for any money raised should go to the people who decided to open their checkbooks rather than to the person who had all the fun.
cinnabar
7/6/2009 1:55:27 PM
I know the child he is climbing for...I was his teacher the year he was diagnosed.I think he has a great community of people around him!!What a great act of selflessness!!!!
jebond
7/6/2009 6:15:21 PM
