U.S. Navy Veteran Brian O’Malley will begin his journey back to Mt Everest on April 15, 2025. Read the original story here. Update written by Monica Allen, Tunnels 2 Towers Foundation.

Some say age is just a number, but for Navy Veteran and Delta Professional Services (DPS) employee, Brian O’Malley, a self-proclaimed ’60-year-old baby boomer,’ is putting that adage to the test, setting out to summit the “Top of the World” Mount Everest, Nepal.

O’Malley’s life has been centered on the motto of “Training for Life.” After major back surgery just a little more than a year ago, O’Malley has been specifically training for this Mt Everest expedition since his recovery and physical therapy. O’Malley will join one of the premier Mt Everest Summit Expedition Teams in the World and will head back to the Himalayas for his journey in mid-April.

If O’Malley successfully summits Mt Everest, he will be only the third American over the age of 60 years to do so (the first person in the State of Georgia). This, however, is for more than just bragging rights. O’Malley is raising funds for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. O’Malley is married to a fellow U.S. Naval Academy graduate (Annapolis, MD) and Naval Aviator Veteran, Shelley O’Malley (Delta Airlines). Their oldest daughter (Shannon (O’Malley) McKinney was a University of Georgia Bulldog Swim Team Captain (2015), All-American and 2xNational Champion and Olympic Trials swimmer. As well, the O’Malley’s have two younger children, Lauren (O’Malley) Stephenson (a 2019 Naval Academy graduate and Brigade Commander) and Luke O’Malley, a current student at the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 2027, who aims to fly like his mom and Dad! Additionally, the O’Malley’s son-in-law Jared (Lauren) is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and is currently serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. Brian’s father, James O’Malley, is a retired Chicago-area Fireman from the City of Aurora, IL. Service is in the O’Malley’s DNA and by paying it forward to Tunnel to Towers, the O’Malley’s are all helping their goal to inspire and to support America’s Heroes.

O’Malley, and his brother-in-law Steve McDaniel (U.S. Air Force Veteran and Georgia Police Officer) set and have met their initial fundraising goal of $15,000 during “Phase One” which included their initial trek from Lukla, Nepal to Everest Base Camp (EBC). O’Malley hopes to triple (or even more!) this figure by the end of the “Phase Two” portion which hopefully culminates in the successful summit of Mt Everest. O’Malley is choosing to support Tunnel to Towers’ mission to provide mortgage-free homes for the families of fallen first responders, Gold Star families, and catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Tunnel to Towers has also vowed to eradicate veteran homelessness by opening Veteran Villages nationwide. A new facility will open in August 2025 outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

“I am incredibly grateful and humbled to take on such an amazing opportunity and challenge. I wish to especially thank my impressive, hard core brother-in-law Steve McDaniel for teaming with me during Phase One. Additionally, receiving sponsorship from my former company Critical Components, Inc. and especially the best sales team in Atlanta built by Scott Cockekrham is the catalyst to success for my goal of supporting Tunnel to Towers!!  Prayers are welcomed as I embark on this extraordinary dangerous endeavor of attempting to summit Mt Everest, but I also implore everyone to learn more and to raise awareness and charitable contributions for T2T,” said Brian O’Malley.

Over the last few weeks, O’Malley and his brother-in-law McDaniel were in Nepal trekking over 75 miles and climbing over 17,000 feet while testing gear and climbing more minor summits in the Everest region of Nepal.

He is back home for a month (while still acclimated to high altitudes) and O’Malley is available for interviews before returning to the Everest Base Camp in mid-April. O’Malley will provide video and audio updates from the climb to update viewers on his progress.

Visit O’Malley’s specific Tunnel to Towers Foundation website at: https://dogood.t2t.org/campaign/boomer-veterans-and-first-responders-mt-everest-summit-expedition-2025/c656936

About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation

Born from the tragedy of 9/11, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation conducts its mission to “do good,” by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Tunnel to Towers is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America Never Forget September 11, 2001.