3-Year-Old Climbs Britain’s Three Highest Mountains in Memory of His Best Friend

The bond between best friends lasts forever, even after death. Jaxon Krzysik may only be three years old, but he’s already learned this bittersweet life lesson. His best friend, Ralph, passed away when he was two years old. Now, the youngster has honored his memory by becoming the youngest person ever to climb three of the tallest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales to pay tribute to his best friend.

Jaxon and Ralph had met at nursery school and had an instant bond. “It takes finding a good friend to help you through the process, someone who makes you feel comfortable, makes you laugh and come home with a smile on your face every single day. That was Ralph for Jaxon,” his dad writes on their fundraising page. There friendship was unique, because Ralph, who had cerebral palsy, was unable to speak. Yet, there was “a connection between them both that was apparent from the start,” his dad explains. Unfortunately, Ralph passed away not long after their sweet friendship blossomed.

Talking about death with children isn’t easy. It’s a difficult topic to broach when kids are only just starting to understand the concept of death. But that’s the position Jaxon’s dad, Cal, found himself in. “I remember explaining this to Jaxon, where his good friend was, and he would ask ‘why?’… It was difficult to come back with a response,” he admits. “Even now at almost 4, Jaxon still points to the sky and asks if 'Ralph is still in the sky.’”

Jaxon, who Cal says has a natural love for rocks and rock climbing, decided to take on the Three Peaks Challenge with his dad to honor the memory of his nursery school best friend. The Three Peaks Challenge is no small feat. For reference, it involves climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon—the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales. Although most people who take on the challenge aim to complete all three on the same day, Jaxon and Cal decided to spread it out. Before Jaxon, the youngest person to complete the challenge was six years old.

The 3-year-old took on the 3,209 foot hike to the top of Scafell Pike in April, where he had to battle against snow and hail, but still managed to reach the top unaided. In May, he conquered all 3,560 feet of Snowdon, also unaided and unassisted. Finally, in June, he climbed 4,411 feet to the top of Ben Nevis, HuffPost reports. Altogether, Jaxon walked 23 miles and completed 20 hours of walking. During his expeditions, Jaxon managed to raise £1,350 (about $1,248) through his fundraiser for Cerebra, a charity for children with brain injuries.

The little boy’s heartwarming accomplishment has made an impact on many worldwide, but especially Ralph’s mom, Jade. “I burst into tears when I found out what Jaxon was doing for Ralph. It’s just amazing, it really pulled on my heart strings,” she tells HuffPost. “It’s an incredible way to pay tribute to him. For someone so young to do something so amazing is fantastic. I can’t put into words how much it means to us.”

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