It was a bright afternoon when I met Anggi Wahyuda (25) known in social media as one legged trekker conquering high peaks of Indonesia. I was 10 minutes late but he did not seem to mind and stayed friendly. He could be a disable having lost his right leg due to a motorcycle accident when he was just 15, but he met and shook my hand firmly, ignoring the surrounding and with eyes full of confidence.
By: Handewi Pramesti*
Nothing is impossible, summarizing the short discussion I had with Anggi. He might be down and devastated, which he claimed he experienced for the first two years, after the amputation but he proved that being himself and ignored pity and even bully at school, could lead to something positive and could aid him to reach his ultimate goal.
“People always think that being disable means we are weak,” said Anggi. “To prove them wrong I had to give them an example, so rather than lamenting what happened to me in the past, I decided to do something to show people that we are strong. I chose to climb mountains.”
Born in Binjai 25 years ago, around 20 kilometers away from Medan, the Capital of North Sumatera province, the former cyclist-athlete decided to climb Mount Sibayak, an active volcano in Karo Regency, North Sumatera of around 2,000 meter above the sea level as his first climb back in 2020.
“I did not find any significant constraints, thanks to my never-stop exercising after the amputation,” said Anggi who does swimming as his routine. “As for stepping, climbing a mountain does not necessarily need legs, but we can always crawl, as long as we reach the top,” he added, showing his determination.
After conquering Sibayak, he felt proud and was determined to conquer higher peak. In addition to that, he felt that people began to show respect and acknowledgment “I then did Mount Kerinci afterwards,” claimed Anggi. He then managed to reach Indrapura Peak of Mount Kerinci, the second highest Mount in Indonesia.
His determination, nevertheless, does not mean he did not face any rejection from closest people, like his mother, especially, whom he contacted after he was already up in Mount Sibayak’s basecamp.
“My mother was shocked and asked whether I believed I could make it,” Anggi told me. “I managed to convince her,” he added and went on to say that his mother is his rock as well as his main inspiration.
So far he has climbed 5 out of 7 Summits of Indonesia, including Rinjani, Kerinci, Binaiya, Bukit Raya and Latimojong. “I haven’t done Semeru as it is erupting and closed. While the reason for Carstenzs is because I need to spend Rp. 120 million in total including the training,” said Anggi adding that he chooses right now to use his budget for fulfilling his dream as the first disable Seven Summiteers of Indonesia instead of purchasing an artificial leg which cost him around Rp. 100-200 million.
Based on his story, he claimed that climbing Mount Binaiya in Maluku was the most memorable one. “The community, after my descent from Mount Binaiya, told me that they all had prayed in church for my safety. I was so touched with their genuine attention. I am not even a Christian but they were so thoughtful about me,” said Anggi memorizing the moment. “I cried at that time.”
Though he postpones buying an artificial leg – the best one is imported from Europe according to him – but he has a specific dream of wearing his right shoe. “I don’t contribute my one shoe to fellow disables because I have a dream that one day I will be able to wear it,” he said.
But his journey does not stop in Indonesia alone, he conquered Everest Basecamp at the height of 5,364 meters above sea level in 2025, claiming that his only constraint was just the weather and fear of having mountain sickness. “Physically, I am able, I could even manage to arrive in Namche Bazaar for 4 hours from Phakding,” he added. Based on my own experience, Phakding-Namche Bazaar route is reachable for 7-8 hours normally and trekkers must cross the famous longest suspension bridge, the Hillary Bridge, not to mention the steep stairs. This trip was not only about conquering the Everest Base Camp but also about documenting his journey to reach 5,364 AMSL.
The documentary about his journey entitled “One More Step” won a special award for documentary film at the Indonesian Film Festival 2025.
Owning two businesses in his hometown, a content creator and a comedian, Anggi again has another dream. This time is to reach Uhuru Peak of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in July 2026. He claimed that a disable trekker, Sabar Gorky, a disable climber-social media profile, is his inspiration, the one that makes him optimistic that he can also do the same.
Though he admitted that his first climb was to fulfil his “ego”, he had an advice to the beginners who wished to climb a mountain. “Working out is essential,” said Anggi. “At any age, when you want to begin climbing a mountain, you need to work out and have a proper gear.”
Though he does not have ambition to become one of the Seven Summiteers of the World, he mentioned that the even summits of the world worth a try. “I will begin with Kilimanjaro,” said Anggi. “Try anything that is possible. Nothing is wrong with trying.”
The sound of call for prayers from the nearest mosque filled the air, and before closing the conversation Anggi has messages for fellow disables out there.
“We can be strong if we think we are. Do positive and good things, for we can have good and positive outcomes. No one truly cares about you including those ridiculing you,” Anggi said. “People who mock you will eventually get bored. Self-confidence comes from having abilities. When someone has skills and abilities, like academic achievement, for example, their self-confidence is threefold greater,” said Anggi who plans to take continue his study to a post graduate.
“If you constantly shut yourself away, your abilities and skills will never be seen.”
*Handewi Pramesti is a freelance print, online and video journalist based in Tangerang Selatan. She is a former TV Presenter for TVRI’s English News Services.