My Comeback Story: George N.

The peak that I'm shown on is Handies Peak in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. I originally summited Handies in 1976 at age 17 for the Colorado Centennial which is on August 1st. I'm the only member of the original group still hiking and climbing and I was very much looking forward to climbing it again for the 150th celebration. Unfortunately, in February, I noticed pain that could only mean problems in my lower back. The MRI confirmed that I would need a spinal fusion of my L3/L4 vertebrae. Thankfully, the surgery went very well and my recovery was amazingly quick. August 1, 2026, 4-1/2 months after surgery, I was on top of Handies enjoying the great views. I am indebted to Dr. Ross Jones, Patrick Parten and the rest of the team not only for the great surgical result, but getting it done quickly enough that I could train for the peak post-operatively. Thanks!