For Shilo Borja, celebrating her 40th birthday with an African expedition was a dream come true. Her goal was ambitious yet awe-inspiring: to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest free-standing mountain on Earth.

However, fate had other plans, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her climbing aspirations. Little did she know that this setback would pave the way for an unforgettable adventure, shared with a special companion.

A Pandemic-Delayed Dream Realized

As Shilo Borja’s milestone birthday approached, she couldn’t help but feel the itch for adventure. Kilimanjaro, with its towering presence and legendary status, beckoned to her as the ultimate challenge. However, thanks to the pandemic, her dreams seemingly slipped away. Nevertheless, life had a serendipitous twist in store.

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Enter Ben Tolan, Shilo’s 14-year-old son. An unexpected opportunity arose for him to join his mother on this epic journey. Ben’s youthful enthusiasm was infectious, and his curiosity about Africa and the monumental mountain piqued his interest. As he puts it, “I didn’t really know how tall it was. I also wanted to do it with her because it sounded really fun. Just going to Africa sounded fun.”

In August 2023, the mother-son duo from Boise, Idaho, embarked on their African adventure. From the moment they set foot in Tanzania, they were confronted by the sheer magnitude of their undertaking. Mount Kilimanjaro, an iconic symbol of nature’s grandeur, stood as a daunting challenge.

Initially, doubt loomed large. Shilo Borja candidly admitted, “It looked like an insurmountable goal,” echoing the thoughts that often accompany ambitious pursuits. Her son, Ben, shared her concerns, saying, “Yeah, never going to happen. We thought we must have underestimated it for sure.”

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Yet, in the face of uncertainty, they took their first steps towards the summit. Over eight arduous days, they persevered, with temperatures plummeting to 15 degrees Celsius. They spent their nights in tents, their days consumed by the relentless climb, as they ascended to heights exceeding 19,000 feet.

The Triumph at the Top

“I got a touch of altitude sickness a little bit up,” Shilo Borja recalled, acknowledging the physical and mental challenges they encountered. “It was just a matter of taking one more step at a time. Watching the sun come up and hoping that it would bring some motivation. Watching him take a step, and being like… ‘I’m not going to quit. There’s no quit, no matter how bad I feel.'”

The culmination of their journey arrived on the final day, an intense three-mile trek that demanded eight hours of their determination and resolve. Through frigid temperatures and relentless weather conditions, the mother-son team persisted. And then, they stood atop the world’s largest free-standing mountain.

As Shilo Borja aptly expressed, “It’s hard to put into words because words just don’t describe it. But to be on top of the world’s largest free-standing mountain was wild.”

Their descent to the base, though physically less demanding, was no less impactful. In just two hours, they descended from their lofty perch and, on September 5, returned to the Boise airport, filled with excitement at the prospect of reuniting with their family.

Shilo Borja and Ben Tolan’s journey to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is a testament to the power of determination, the allure of adventure, and the bond between a mother and her son. Their story reminds us that sometimes, the most incredible journeys are born from unexpected detours, and the most formidable challenges are conquered by unwavering perseverance.

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