News Article 28-04-2009

Brian aims high just to say thanks

FATHER and businessman Brian King is preparing to climb seven of the world’s highest summits – including Mount Everest – to raise as much money as he can for the school which helped his daughter find her voice and confidence.

His daughter Erin, 10, was born profoundly deaf.

‘‘She had two cochlear implants, but I noticed her confidence had not improved since the implants were put in,’’ the Kellyville resident said.

‘‘I enrolled Erin into St Gabriel’s School for Hearing Impaired Children and it was amazing the change in her after she spent a few years there,’’ Mr King said.

‘‘Prior to St Gabriel’s, Erin had no speech and to witness her progress at the school from saying one word to having a whole conversation is just wonderful.’’

Now Erin has integrated into a mainstream school Our Lady of Lourdes at Baulkham Hills and continues to improve.

‘‘Since the school receives minimal government funding, I wanted to do something to be able to give back as a gesture of thanks for everything they have done in making life so much better for Erin,’’ Mr King said.

As a keen trekker – having already climbed Aconcagua in South America – Mr King is well aware of the challenges ahead of him. He will pay for each expedition and expects it will cost him $400,000 altogether.

‘‘All money I receive in donations will go directly to the school,’’ he said.

Mr King is already on his way to Alaska to scale Mount McKinley, where the temperature can plummet to -30°C.

Mr King predicted it would take 20 months to complete trekking the seven peaks and planned his last trek to be on Australia’s Mount Kosciuszko.

VANESSA BRADBURY | Hill Shire Times | Tuesday 28/04/2009