Mike Kobold, Will Cross Climbing Everest For Navy SEALs
PITTSBURGH -- This spring, two Pittsburghers are joining forces to put themselves through the most punishing conditions and climb to the top of the world at the summit of Mount Everest.
Watchmaker Michael Kobold, 29, and Will Cross, the first person with diabetes to walk to both poles and ascend the highest peaks on all seven continents, are climbing together for the Navy SEALs.
Kobold, whose watches are worn by Pittsburgh Steeler Max Starks and actor James Gandolfini, embraced the challenged for the first time last year alongside adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
"Well, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who is a very dear friend of mine, asked me to go along with him. He said, 'I am leaving in a week, would you like to come?' So I have a week's time to prepare, and said sure, I'll go," said Kobold.
Cross, who happened to be on his own Everest expedition last year, ran into Kobold several times.
"I've been there the last five years, I love it. I like the guys, I like the food, I love the misery. He [Kobold] does not. Where we met was the good food that he imported," said Cross.
That food -- 50 pounds of chocolate.
But Kobold's adventure ended in base camp when he sliced his hand open cutting food.
He insists this time will be different.
"The reason I am doing it is because I feel with the training I have received from the U.S. Navy SEALs on their base in Coronado, California, I am strong and fit enough where I can competently climb the mountain and I will have somebody like Will and sherpas and guides with us to literally show me the ropes," said Kobold. "I chose the SEALs to train me because we are raising money for the Navy SEAL warrior fund. That's what this whole expedition is about."
It happened when Gandolfini got a request from a Navy SEAL commander for a discounted Kobold watch for a SEAL critically injured in Iraq.
The man became Kobold's friend and Cross, who has a wife and six kids, has also become invested in the climb's mission.
"I go to work like every dad. The dads that Mike and I are climbing for, they go to war. Some of those guys don't come home and that is the primary mission -- to raise money for their kids, their dads have served the country," said Cross.
For Kobold, the fundraising present a more difficult challenge than scaling the mountain.
"The fundraising is the hardest part. I think climbing the mountain will be relatively easy in comparison to raising $250,000," said Kobold.
Cross knows Kobold will need to bring all his training to persevere on their adventure.
"it is so punishing and so uncomfortable that unless you embrace that and enjoy it, you are not going to make it," said Cross.
Kobold is in New York making the rounds on network and cable talk shows.
Sir Fiennes, uncle to actor Ralph Fiennes, will follow the expedition with a BBC crew.
Editor's note: Please consider supporting Mike and Will by making a contribution to the Navy SEAL Warrior Fund. See Mike's note below:
"Thank you for posting the article about Mike Kobold and Will Cross climbing Mt. Everest on your site. May I please ask you to add a link to the expedition's website (www.everest-challenge.com) so that readers of the article can make donations to the cause (the Navy SEAL Warrior Fund)?"
