For the Everest climb,Scaturro and Erik assembled a team that combined veteran Everest climbers and trusted friends of Erik’s. Scaturro wrote up a Braille proposal for the Everest attempt and submitted it to Marc Maurer,president of the National Federation of the Blind. Maurer immediately pledged $250000 to sponsor the climb. (Aventis Pharmaceuticals agreed to sponsor a documentary on the climb to promote Allegra, its allergy medication;Erik suffers from seasonal allergies.) For Erik, who already had numerous gear and clothing sponsor, this was the greatest challenge of his life. If he failed, he would be letting down not just himself but all the blind, confirming that certain activities remained the preserve of the sighted