
LivingVertical founder Steve Richert climbing in Coopers Rock, VW. | With permission from Team LivingVertical |
Climb your way to the top.
Literally.
Steve Richert founded Living Vertical in August 2011. His website says LivingVertical was born, “to create and promote a ‘new normal’ of life with diabetes by showing PWD (People with diabetes) taking on extraordinary feats in the vertical world. We are committed to changing the perception of diabetes and its limitations through our Films and Climbing Projects.”
Steve is ready to break history and needs your support. Check out his video about what his latest project is all about.
Steve was nice enough to do a Q&A with me. As you’ll see below, Steve answers with honesty and heart.
His answers really blew me away and I hope you can appreciate the depth of his answers as I do.
How has physical activity helped you in your diabetes management?

This is Blake McCord, drilling on the lead on a recent new route expedition on the Acopan Tepui in Venezuela. What might not be obvious is that Blake has had #diabetes since he was ten. There’s a lot that’s not obvious about diabetes, like the fact that it can make you stronger and more motivated to #gobeyond. | Caption & photo with permission from Team LivingVertical |
How do you create a healthy living environment when so much of what you do revolves around diabetes?

Awesome day out #bouldering with @laudahl who grabbed this photo–we beat the rain by enough time to get in a good session and some laps on this particular problem that I finally sent the other day after years of backing off the spicy moves up high. My hand is feeling good and my #diabetes is doing nothing. Just hanging out with me while I #climb.
| Text & photo with permission from Team LivingVertical |
What can we, as adults living with type 1 diabetes, do to become empowered?
What do you feel are the positives and negatives of being a diabetic in the world of social media?
I dont know that there are special positives and negatives of social media that relate to diabetes aside from my tirade on question #2. I think the danger of all social media is that it promotes the idea that sitting on ass and talking about things is just as useful as actually getting out into the real world and doing something that makes a difference.
I have tapped into social media because I realized that that is where I would find the people who needed to hear what I had to say. Ironically my message is all about getting out and not staying on social media. There is a sacrifice that happens for me to spend as much time creating content for others when I could be playing.
Thank you again Steve for your time and sharing your insights. We can all achieve whatever we desire. You have reminded me of that.
Support LivingVertical
Support LivingVertical’s crowd funding campaign here.