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Metro Detroit man uses personal struggles to inspire young students
DETROIT (WXYZ) — We have a remarkable Detroit 2020 story about an inspirational young man whose enormous challenges led him to a reading program that is now being used to help high school students in Detroit.
J.T. Mestdagh was born unable to eat or even go to the bathroom. It’s a birth defect called VATER Syndrome.
Ocean Reef Press – Article about Legacy Member JT Mesdagh
Did You Know… that Legacy Member JT Mestdagh is the author of Untether, a memoir that is a best seller at Amazon Books.
HPU Homecoming Weekend Honors Alumni with Awards Ceremony
HPU Homecoming Weekend Honors Alumni with Awards Ceremony HIGH POINT, N.C., Oct. 29, 2019 – High Point University welcomed alumni back to campus for Homecoming Weekend 2019 on Oct. 25-27. They participated in a variety of activities, including longstanding traditions...
Interview with Jack Krasula – WJR 760
In this interview with Jack Krasula, host of Anything Is Possible, JT Mestdagh dives into his challenges, how he overcame them, the importance of family and mentors, and shares insightful and faith-centered stories from his book, Untethered.
No matter the challenge: Author provides inspiration for living
Article by By Jody McVeigh on June 19, 2019 for the Grosse Pointe News in Michigan. JT Mestdagh doesn’t necessarily consider himself a daredevil. He just likes to live life to the fullest. That’s part of the reason he’s climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and driven the Autobahn,...
Mentor Highlight – Uncle John Ahee
My Uncle John Ahee is celebrating 23 years of being cured of Brain Cancer. He is such an inspiration to me. At the age of 32, 23 years ago, John Ahee was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, an extremely rare form of brain cancer in adults. Medical experts told him that...
Radio Interview by Paul W. Smith -WJR Detroit (760AM)
Paul W. Smith 0:00 Honest to goodness I've been doing this for a long, long time. I don't remember a guest that I was having on that I heard more positive things about before having him on. It's, it's as if he has his own fan club. And these people who are...
Thank You for the Great Reviews
Thank you all for your wonderful reviews of the book. Cynthia Vander Meiden 5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put the book down! May 20, 2019 Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase This book is a great read! I could not put this book down. From the first chapter, I was hooked....
My Book Release – Untether
Dear Family and Friends: After two years of hard work I'm excited to let you know that my book, UNTETHER, will be available, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, on Amazon in the eBook or Kindle versions, AND now also in the print version! An Audio version will be...
I Just Hit #1 Bestseller with Untether
Here is a Press Release I just got from my Publishers.Elite Online Publishing Launched a Bestselling Book by JT Mestdagh Author JT Mestdagh introduced his new book “Untether: Inspiration for Living Free and Strong No Matter What the Challenge” which climbed...
Pre-Order My Book Today!
I am super excited to announce that today is the book pre-release by for only 99 cents!
JD Gibbs Inspiration
After watching the Daytona 500 today and seeing the Joe Gibbs race team win, I was so excited to hear how this family is spreading God's message. They shared their son, JD Gibbs, webpage and I spent the next hour listening to his life journey with God. I thought it...
Update for Feb 6th
Now that my adventures have slowed down, 2019 is off to a great start. My book is well underway and progress is being made. I have hopes that the book will be completed in the next few months. I am so excited about the cover designs we are coming up with. I am also...
A segment from my book I’m writing
Some people are born without an appendix. Some who have a lot of surgeries (like me) can lose them during procedures. If I didn’t have one, Dr. Pena was going to have to create one, which would add hours to the operation. He most likely wouldn’t have time for a few...
I Am Alive
I Am Alive Oct 8th continued I'm just getting back to my blog here. I am home and reflecting on my trip. I can’t get over how epic this adventure was. I think the feeling of reaching the summit was the hi-light for me. Reaching the summit and the peek is amazing and...
Day 4, October 7
Day 4, October 7 “JT for summit day in the book you need a title right?”, “Yes, Ladi” “How about Throwing Up With a Smile?” Let’s jump back to the start of the day with our 4:00 am wake-up call, vitals, some food and go over the route with our team. We were leaving...
Day 3 Kilimanjaro – October 6
Day 3 October 6 We woke up, got our vitals (oxygen levels) immediately so that we would have a baseline for the day. Then we ate and started our track up leaving Barranco Camp heading towards Arrow Glacier Camp, which is 15,980 ft. above sea level. About...
A Bit from My Book
An Expert from my Book I’m writing.
The pain you feel today is the strength you feel tomorrow. — Anonymous
Day 2 Kilimanjaro – October 5
Day 2 October 5 We left Umbwa Cave Camp and followed the Umbwa Route. Umbwa Route is widely regarded as the hardest trail on Killi, a tough vertical slog through the jungle, in places using the tree roots as makeshift rungs on a ladder. We pushed to Barranco Camp for...
Day 1 Up Kilimanjaro
The start!! Today we left our hotel and headed up to the park entrance and as we arrived we met our team of Porters and Chef Kiplet.
Simon our guide informed us as to why we had to wait for a permit that was coming from town. The permit was for us to do Western Bridge on Summit day. Then we started heading up, it was through the rain forest all day. As we got higher the trees became more dense.
Day Two Travel to Target Location
Oct 3rd (Fight BA65 Heathrow 10:25 am to Nairobi Kenya) > (Nairobi to Kilimanjaro) drive to AMEG Lodge Kilimanjaro arrived at 1:24 am This is a life changing moment right now going to Africa to climb Kili something that I never thought I would be able to do...
Day One Travels – Oct 2nd
6:35am Avon CO. > (flight AA2445 Denver 10:28am to Miami) > (Flight AA56 Miami 6:00pm to Heathrow) Today my travel buddy Ladi showed us his favorite movie, Elf! His masterpiece of everything - bagel with cream cheese, strawberry, blueberries, yogurt and topped...
Morning on Top of Elbert
I woke up quick to some early morning hikers that arrived at sunrise. They were like, “you slept up here?”. I said, “Oh yes, best night sleep” Haha! the view was awesome as Martina said its amazing how these rocks and dirt all around us are so beautiful, so true. We...
Up Mt. Elbert
With Mount Kilimanjaro right around the corner Ladi, Martina and I headed to the tallest mountain in Colorado Mt. Elbert. We started are hike a little later today so that we could make it up for the evening to spend the night at a elevation of 14,439 ft. When we...
Beaver Creek Bald Spot
Today was something that I have always wanted to do, hike to the top of Beaver Creek's bald spot. Ladi, the dogs (Hamlet and Bella) and I went all the way up spent some time at the top taking in the views and getting altitude exposure. We were able to see Mt. Holy...
Lionshead Vail to Minturn
As always its an adventure with Ladi we hiked to the top of Vail and headed over to the Minturn mile. The Minturn mile is something that we ski in the winter after a long day of skiing vail. At the end of the mile you come to the Saloon, for as Ladi says, "2 Shirley...
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