KFC, Franchisees Back "Soldiers to Summits" Climber

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Disabled Army veteran Tommy Carroll is attempting to climb Mt. Cotopaxi, a 19,347-foot mountain in Ecuador, and when he reaches the summit, it won't be the first big challenge he's overcome.

Tommy Carroll (pictured) will be part of a team of 12 injured veterans and active-duty service personnel who will attempt to summit Mt. Cotopaxi, the second-highest peak in Ecuador. The team is currently on the mountain and their summit attempt is scheduled for Dec. 10. Carroll, 46, is an Army veteran and above-knee amputee who is sponsored by KFC Corporation and the Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees (AKFCF). (Photo Credit: Didrick Johnck)

Carroll, 46, is an Army veteran and above-knee amputee whose summit attempt is sponsored by KFC Corporation and the Association of Kentucky Fried Chicken Franchisees (AKFCF). His expedition to the second-highest peak in Ecuador is the culmination of a yearlong journey with Soldiers to Summits, a non-profit program that helps veterans innovate through adversity and step up to lead and serve others.

Carroll, who has lived in Boulder, Colo., for the past eight years, grew up in Pennsylvania. He is a biomedical engineer who designs artificial limbs, including his own prosthetic leg. He is also a rock climber, ski instructor and road biker, as well as a mountaineer.