Michael Woods Reaches Everest Summit as First Deaf Brit — Deaf Climber Stranded Everest
Michael Woods became the first deaf climber stranded everest story to end at the summit on Friday, reaching the top of Mount Everest after a multi-day climb. The sign language presenter also became the first deaf British person to reach the summit, adding a second first as a deaf European climber.
Woods on the summit push
Woods said the ascent was marked by “pain, exhaustion, doubt, waiting, setbacks and one of the hardest battles mentally and physically I’ve ever faced in my life… but I kept going.” He also said he was sick and struggling for energy during the expedition, then described standing on the summit as something he would “never ever forget.”
The climb moved in stages. Woods trekked from base camp to Camp 2 on Sunday 17 May, advanced to Camp 3 on Tuesday 19 May and reached Camp 4 on Wednesday 20 May before the final push. That timeline shows how much of the ascent was spent in the higher camps before the summit day came together.
NDCS and Joseph
Woods said he was using the climb to raise money for NDCS, the charity that supported his son Joseph from the very beginning. His summit therefore carried two layers at once: the personal climb itself and the fundraising effort tied to a family that had already received support.
On Woods’ post after the summit, NDCS wrote: “You’ve shown deaf children everywhere that nothing is out of reach. We are beyond proud to have been part of your journey.” The British Deaf Association added: “Your determination and passion show there are no limits to what Deaf people can achieve.”
Deaf climbers on Everest
Woods’ finish also fits into a short but notable line of deaf climbers on Everest. Scott Lehmann and Shayna Unger became the first deaf Americans to reach the summit almost three years earlier, and Woods’ ascent adds a British and European first to that list.
For readers following the climb through its toughest stretch, the clear takeaway is that Woods finished what he set out to do in 2026: reach Everest’s 8,848m summit and use the climb to back a cause linked to his own family. The summit was the result, but the route to it was defined by illness, fatigue and the long wait through the higher camps.
