In late January, wife and mother of two boys, Connie Gabrielle, climbed the highest free-standing mountain in the world and the highest peak in Africa, to raise funds and awareness for the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba.
Connie is the daughter of a Virden family, Don and Collette Gonty; she’s married to Trent Gabrielle also of Virden. The couple lives in Brooks, Alta.
Gabrielle made the decision months ago to make this climb for charity.
She trained and prepared for the rigours, but just 10 days before her climb she posted on her Facebook page: “I am terrified, unprepared, but prepared, grateful, excited, nervous, and thankful.”
Her determination was borne out of her desire to contribute to the research to help Alzheimer’s patients, which included her father, Don Gonty.
In 2019, in an interview with the Empire-Advance, Gabrielle said, “My Dad was diagnosed just over five years ago, in his early 60s. I have been blown away by the lack of treatment for this terrible disease. On the positive side I have also been blown away by the support the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba has provided to both my parents.”
Four months before Gabrielle could make the climb, Don died. However, the young Alberta woman maintained her commitment and she and three friends made the climb on schedule, in January.
Her fundraising campaign was a big success.
She raised $14,796, exceeding her goal of $10,000, thanks to donations from her native Virden community, from her home in Alta. and abroad.
Gabrielle carried her dad’s favourite cap with her to the summit of Kilimanjaro.
