Not with the team on Everest, but certainly there in spirit, cheering them on...

(Left to right) Tom Halvorson of Northern Prosthetics & Orthotics Center in Duluth, Minnesota. Tom was Ed Hommer's prosthetist and now is serving as Nawang's prosthetist. Kelley Raymond, who climbed Denali with Ed Hommer in 1999 as a two-man team.American climbing legend (first American ascent of K2, etc.) Jim Wickwire of Seattle, Washington who tried to climb Mt. Everest from the Tibetan side with Ed Hommer in 2002.

Steve Sheridan, who after hearing of Nawang's accident in 2000, looked for ways to obtain a prosthetic leg for him. Eventually he found a group that would donate a prosthetic leg and fitting services for Nawang.

Walter Racette and the University of California, San Francisco Orthopaedic Surgery Department provided Nawang with his first prosthetic leg in May 2001. Seen here, Nawang is providing essential feedback to his friends Steve and Walter at one of his weekly checkups. During this time, Nawang stayed with his Marin County friends, Tom and Linda McMillan.

The late Ed Hommer (above right), Nawang's friend and the first bilateral amputee to reach the summit of Mt. McKinley on June 3, 1999. Ed had planned to climb Mt. Everest with Nawang in 2003, but was killed by rockfall on Mt. Rainier in September 2002. Ed was instrumental in helping Nawang receive advanced prosthetic and orthotic care through The High Exposure Foundation. which has inspired Nawang to pursue his dream to climb Mount Everest.