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Boy in wheelchair fulfills dream of hiking Camelback Mountain

A group of firefighters and volunteers help make a boy with muscular dystrophy's dream come true by carrying him to the top of Camelback Mountain.

PHOENIX - Camelback Mountain is the centerpiece of Phoenix. There are 2,700 challenging feet to its peak, and hundreds of hikers try to tackle the strenuous trails every day -- but never before like Anthony Castle.

The 18-year-old is unable to walk but is probably more adventurous than anyone you've met before.

"Anthony has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is a life-limiting muscle disorder," said Anthony's mom, Jill.

His disorder has never held him back. With some help, he hiked the Grand Canyon a few years ago. So when he said he wanted to hike Camelback, his mom knew it was only a matter of time.

"We've been planning this awhile and of course every time we decide to do something, people crawl out of the woodwork to help," Jill said.

A group of about 30 people, including family, Phoenix firefighters and complete strangers, showed up ready to do whatever it took to get Castle to the top.

For the first half of the Cholla trail, volunteers worked in shifts, carrying Castle in his chair weighing more than 100 pounds. It's hard to believe that was the easy part.

About halfway up, things took a dangerous turn.

"If you lose your balance and slip, you're going to take him with you," said Tupac Enrique of the Phoenix Fire Department.

Enrique said the next portion of the mountain is extremely hazardous. He meticulously planned every move and rigged the rocks with ropes.

"Carriers are still doing the work of carrying him up, but at anytime if they were to slip, we would have him protected," Enrique explained.

Passersby held their breath as they watched volunteers hoist Anthony up the steep, rocky sides of the mountain.

After hours of climbing, Castle made the impossible possible. He made it to the top.

"For us to see Anthony break barriers like this, it's pretty incredible," said Anthony's brother Oliver.

While Castle soaked in the stunning view from the top, everyone else was fixated on him. Unbeknownst to him, his fearlessness impacted each and every person on the busy mountain.

Jill Castle said it's possible that was his last climb, but he does have his sights set on Bryce Canyon in Utah.

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