Johnny Strange: Adventure as a Way of Life

SI Staff | Oct 9, 2015

Johnny Strange: Adventure as a Way of Life

Marius Beck Dahle for Sports Illustrated

At age 12 he climbed his first world class peak, Mt. Vinson Massif in Antarctica.

Courtesy of the Strange Family

In 2009, when Strange was 17, he became the youngest person to scale the tallest peaks on each of the world's seven continents, including Mt. Everest.

Courtesy of the Strange Family

In 2011 he had reached both the north and south poles. This made him the youngest person in history to complete what is called “The Adventurers Grand Slam.”

Brett Linkletter for Sports Illustrated

Friends such as model Gigi Hadid, who went to Malibu High with Strange, stated on her twitter feed, “He lived more in 23 years than many do their whole life.”

Courtesy of the Strange Family

What really made him so successful was that he lived his life with purpose. He dedicated his adventures to help raise awareness about Parkinson’s Disease and bring about an end to genocide all over the world.

Courtesy of the Strange Family

"I know some people think what I do is irresponsible because of the risk, but the day I let my fear deter my ability to follow my dreams, I have already died," he once said. "I will, as well as everyone else die someday, but on this day, I was more alive then I had ever been before.”

Courtesy of the Strange Family

Courtesy of the Strange Family

Brett Linkletter for Sports Illustrated

Courtesy of the Strange Family