Staff Sgt. Charlie Linville, 30, lost part of his leg in Afghanistan after an IED blast in 2013.

Three years later, the father of two from Boise reclaimed part of what he lost when he became the first combat amputee to reach the summit of 29,029-foot Mount Everest.

Linville, a former Marine, climbed to the apex of the world on Thursday with the support of The Heroes Project, an organization that empowers veterans and their families.

This was Linville’s third attempt on Everest. In 2014, his mission and that of many others was rocked when 16 Sherpas were killed in a massive avalanche. In 2015, his trip was abandoned due to the mammoth earthquake that decimated Nepal.

“The Everest climb has never been about myself, it has always been about the Heroes Project,” Linville said. “Hopefully we can inspire others to get up and accomplish their goals and have a meaningful life. That’s what the whole goal is.” (NBC News)

In a separate climb, retired Army Staff Sgt. Chad Jukes, 32, is making his attempt to summit Mount Everest. Jukes lost his right leg below the knee in 2006 after his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq.

“Not only will I be climbing the tallest mountain in the world but I’ll be doing it while raising issues for veterans — most especially post-traumatic stress which has affected me personally and many of the soldiers with whom I’ve served,” he said.

Over 1,645 members of the U.S. military have lost a limb since 2001, according to reports, and many more have suffered from PTSD.