SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A man with no legs might turn a few heads, but a man with no legs who climbed the highest mountain in Africa can turn many.

Thirteen-year-old William McDonald student Lauren Seabrook, left, Me to We motivational speaker Spencer West, and Janine Cash, 15, embrace after West's performance at William McDonald school on Feb. 18. Cash and Seabrook worked with other students to fundraise and bring West to Yellowknife. - Candace Thomson/NNSL photo

That was certainly the case at William MacDonald Middle School the evening of Feb. 18, where Me to We motivational speaker Spencer West, who climbed the treacherous Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania with the help of two friends, wowed a crowd of 350 people.

As soon as West wheeled onto the stage, he was captivating, witty and empathetic.

“Before we get started, let’s address the elephant in the room – yes, this is a new shirt,” West joked, before explaining the condition he was born with that led to him having his legs amputated at a young age.

Embracing and accepting his disability, West went on to become a champion cheerleader with his high school team in Wyoming, study communications in university and eventually wind up in Africa on a Me to We mission at the behest of a friend.

“They told me I’d never live a normal life. Well, they were right,” West said.

West had three points to his presentation which he based off life experiences -- find the lesson, ask for help and create social change.

As he took the audience through the gruelling seven-day trip to the top of Kilimanjaro, he referenced these points, sometimes going back to his past to explain things through photos or video, but always circling back to the climb and the challenges of it.

"If we weren't challenged, how would we grow as individuals?" he asked. "How would we grow as a society?"

Mountain-climbing may sound like a selfish goal, but West and his crew were climbing to raise money and awareness for clean drinking water in Africa.

They managed to raise $500,000, enough to install water drums and provide safe drinking water to several small communities.

West was brought to the school through the joint efforts of students Janine Cash, 15, Lauren Seabrook, 13, and a handful of committed teachers.

"I've always wanted to meet him, but it was Janine that started working on bringing him up here about three years ago, but we never had the funds," Seabrook said.

It took the school a few years to raise enough money to bring West to Yellowknife, but Seabrook’s win during Me to We contributing artist Tenille’s Play It Forward campaign gave them the final $5,000 they needed for a students-only presentation on Feb.17, with the community presentation on Feb. 18 paid for by sponsors.

At the entrance to the school gym, a table was set up where guests could donate to William McDonald students’ goal of raising $10,000 to build a school through Me to We. They ended up raising just over $900 -- 10 per cent of their goal.

After West had finished speaking, Seabrook said she thought it went well.

"It was a great turn out. Everyone was listening to him and I hope they take away that they can do anything," Seabrook said.

"If (West) can do it, they can do it."