To what lengths would you go to help your favorite charity?

A 14-year-old Moravian Academy student is willing to go 19,341 feet – every inch of it, uphill.

On Dec. 23, ninth-grader Ryan Baki will climb Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania. If that idea makes you smile – well – that’s the point.

Ryan’s dad, Fayez Baki, is a dentist, and Ryan is tackling this trek to raise money for Operation Smile. He’s already a member of the Operation Smile club at school, and has been shadowing his dad in the office summers and days off school for years now. “I was fascinated by how, for only $240, in 45 minutes, we can change someone’s life by reconstructing their smile,” he said.

The idea came about this past summer, after Ryan and his parents hiked up Machu Picchu. He says his dad suggested Kilimanjaro as a new challenge for them to do together. “They saw that I really enjoyed the experience in Machu Picchu, and they thought I was capable of accomplishing much more.”

It’s certainly going to take much more. Although Mount Kilimanjaro is known as a “walk-up” mountain, less than half of all climbers who attempt it ever reach the summit. Over the course of his planned seven-day hike, Ryan will trek through five climate zones – including arctic - sleep in tents in subzero temperatures, and have to battle extreme altitude. That, he says, is his biggest worry. He does have his youth going for him, though, and the fact that he’s active in soccer, golf, and tennis.

Mom Sarah, a biochemical engineer, acknowledges there are risks. However, she says, she’s both confident and proud. “By his actions, I hope Ryan will inspire other teenagers to go out there and do good, while pushing their limits,” she said.

“I didn’t anticipate this,” says Fayez, “but I’m not surprised that Ryan would do such a good deed. He has always showed compassion toward others, and understands that many children around the world are underprivileged, and don’t have access to quality education and healthcare.”

The Bakis are covering the expenses, which means every penny donated goes directly to Operation Smile. You can sign up to offer your support at Ryan’s Operation Smile, or through Ryan’s Instagram page, clicking ryan_operation_smile, where he’ll be posting his progress.

His sisters – Celine, 9; Sophia, 8; and Julia, 6 – say they’d also like to help charities, following in their big brother’s footsteps…so long as those footsteps don’t lead up the side of a mountain.

Contributed article