Everest 2006  Team No Limits:  Dispatch 3 - Team No Limits Member, Larry Rigsby

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Team No Limits member, Dr. Larry Rigsby, is a 54 year old practicing Internist and Hospitalist. Larry was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. Larry currently resides in Signal Mountain, Tennessee and recently moved from Montgomery, Alabama where he practiced medicine for 20 years.

Dr. Rigsby writes a medical series for Everest News and has a great deal of interest in high altitude medicine and physiology. In 2004 Rigsby conducted a high altitude sleep study on the North or Tibetan side of Mt. Everest. To our knowledge, this was the highest sleep study to ever be conducted.

Dr. Rigsby has climbed in the Alaska Chuwgach and St. Elias Range with peaks including Denali and Moose's Tooth. Other climbs include Rainier as well as multiple winter assents in Colorado. Larry has climbed in the Himalayas and is drawn to the region. He summited Ama Dablam in 2004 and was on an Everest expedition in 2004 where he conducted a medical study on the Tibetan side of Everest.

Larry's favorite climbing is ice and alpine, however, he embraces and loves all aspects of climbing. In addition to climbing, Rigsby is an ultra runner and running is a large part of his training. During his off time, Larry loves to spend time in Leadville, Colorado training for his climbing expeditions and enjoying time with his family.

After a recent training climb on Aconcagua in South America, Larry ran into some health problems. He debated for a while on whether or not to continue on with this expedition. After much thought and prayer, Larry and his team of doctors decided that he should continue on to his dream. 

Rigsby said that he feels strong and that he is overwhelmed with gratitude and very excited that he will be able to continue on with his expedition. Larry said he will approach this climb the same way he has life . . . one day at a time. It is evident that Larry is entirely grateful for life and to have this opportunity. It is this attitude of gratitude that clearly keeps things in focus for Larry.

Larry said, "climbing Mt. Everest is the challenge of a life time." Rigsby said that he feels very focused and alive in the mountains and that climbing is a spiritual journey. Larry said he climbs for his family and himself. He said that if he could impart anything in his children by his climbing that it would be to teach them to live life and embrace their fears . . . not to just sit on the sidelines. Larry clearly adheres to the philosophy that a a good life is a life well lived.

Larry, a devoted family man, said that without the support of his family, especially his wife and best friend, Virginia, that none of this would be possible. Larry extends thanks to all of his family. As the patriarch of a fare size lot, Larry has two children and eight grandchildren.

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