What if you survived a devastating rock climbing accident that doctors said would leave you unable to walk—yet ten years later, you broke speed records on the world’s volcanic seven summits and stood atop Mount Everest?
This episode of Thrive Loud with Lou Diamond is the awe-inspiring story of Caroline Leon, an adventurer, speaker, and psychologist whose journey from a near-fatal fall to conquering the world’s highest peaks redefines the limits of human resilience.
Caroline takes us through the harrowing details of her accident and the grueling physical and emotional recovery that followed—14 surgeries, years of immobility, and a battle with despair so deep she could barely read a sentence. She shares candidly how listening to audiobooks and memoirs in her darkest moments planted seeds of hope, eventually inspiring her to reclaim her life by climbing again.
Listen as Caroline reveals:
- The micro-victories that built her comeback—learning to roll over, crawl, and take her first steps again
- How mountains became her sanctuary and teachers, restoring her spirit one summit at a time
- The spark that ignited her return to adventure, from a “simple” hike up Mount Kosciuszko to becoming one of the few to summit Everest, just ten years after nearly losing everything
- The unexpected aftermath of Everest—her passion to give back by cleaning up the world’s most majestic peaks, and her views on preserving nature’s wonders
Plus, hear Caroline’s strategies for overcoming the voice of doubt, her favorite sources of inspiration, and the hope that comes from sharing and receiving stories of resilience.
If you need a boost of determination, a reminder of the power inside each of us, and a reason to chase your own mountains—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Episode Timeline Overview:
- [00:00:07] Lou welcomes Caroline Leon & introduces her incredible story
- [00:01:29] Caroline vividly describes her life-altering climbing accident
- [00:03:22] The brutal road to physical recovery—surgeries and relearning basics
- [00:07:17] The psychological toll and Caroline’s mental strategies for survival
- [00:10:09] Finding hope through audiobooks and inspirational stories
- [00:13:47] The unpredictable “logic” that drove her to climb again
- [00:16:08] How the mountains transformed her inside and out
- [00:18:06] Caroline on pain, healing, and progress after injury
- [00:19:52] What giving her story gives back: the power of hope
- [00:21:13] Climbing Everest and the new frontier: mountain conservation
- [00:24:14] How to connect with Caroline and follow her adventures
- [00:24:46] Caroline’s favorites: movies, music, food, and more fun facts
Prepare to be moved—press play for a story of defiance, discovery, and relentless human spirit.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.