Zachary Schmidt of Los Angeles was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension when he was in middle school. While following a healthy lifestyle, Schmidt trained to build up his endurance so he could hike across the globe. The 19-year-old has embarked on six organized treks and countless hikes. He shares his story for Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month.
When I turned 18, I had climbed Mount Baldy, Cucamonga Peak and Ontario Peak in California. Seven years before, I couldn’t even run to first base during a Little League game without passing out.
Last June, I got a tattoo of those first mountains I hiked. Next to it, I added the outline of my first EKG from when I was diagnosed with PAH. My stepmom also got my EKG tattooed on her wrist. It was a special family bonding moment that showed how far I’ve come and how my family has been by my side.
For Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month, I am sharing how I let my light shine through my perseverance to train and hike famous treks across the globe. I feel grateful for what my body can do and blessed for the opportunities to keep hiking, one step at a time.
Alarming diagnosis
I was slightly overweight as a child, and I think doctors assumed my medical problems were weight related. After passing out during a baseball game and feeling fatigued and dizzy every time I ran, I was misdiagnosed with exercise-induced asthma. A few days later, I walked up a 200-foot hill by my house with my stepmom. When I reached the top, I was gray in the face, super dizzy and had to sit down with my head between my knees to catch my breath.
Ten minutes later, the color in my face returned. My stepmom, a nurse, said my weight wasn’t the issue, that something deeper was going on. The next day, I received my first EKG, which showed irregularities in my heart. A month later, I was diagnosed with PAH.
My doctors said most pediatric patients are diagnosed as babies or young children. If it wasn’t for my stepmom, who knows how long I would’ve been misdiagnosed.
Training for the gains
When I was 16, I found the right routine for me. I had a mini gym in my backyard to work out. I started learning what foods made me feel good, which foods made me feel sluggish and how to eat in moderation. My short walks turned into long walks, and I fell in love with the way exercise made me feel. I knew I wanted to explore the world. What better way to do that than by hiking through it?
To prepare, I focused on increasing my stamina by walking five to 10 miles, six times a week. During my walks, I practiced breathing techniques that I learned from my uncle, a breathing specialist. I practiced purse-lip breathing, where I inhaled through my nose for five seconds and then pursed my lips, like making a kissing face, while I exhaled for 10 seconds. This technique lengthens your breathing, reduces the number of breaths you take and keeps your airways open longer.
Hitting the road
In 2023, I embarked on my first international hike through Mount-Blanc, a 100-mile trek through France, Switzerland and Italy. Sadly, on the eighth day, my brother and I had to stop because I had such bad altitude sickness. I felt bummed because this adventure was my opportunity to mature and experience new things.
My brother and I found redemption after completing the Camino de Santiago, a 100-mile, 10-day trek from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago, Spain. I felt so proud to complete that trek. I met many fantastic people in Europe whom I’m still friends with today. I used to be shy, but during that walk I really opened up and embraced the experience.
Early this year, my brother and I hiked Acatenango, a 14,000-foot active volcano in Guatemala. I then completed three hikes in Peru. I embarked on a solo tour to Santa Cruz, climbed Machu Picchu with my brother – climbing to the top of a 15,000-foot pass — and hiked through ancient ruins that were 20% excavated with my family.
Hiking will always be my passion and having the chance to do it abroad while learning about different cultures and seeing new places was incredible.
New adventures
In June, I stayed local and hiked the Oregon Coast Trail. I covered 410 miles in 18 days, averaging 22 miles a day. Afterward, I hiked around Mount Hood and volunteered at Merry Heart Children’s Camp in Oregon, a summer camp for youth with heart conditions. I wanted to help those kids have a positive camp experience like I had.
My next planned hike is on the Pacific Crest Trail. I want to cover a 700-mile section in the summer of 2025 and complete the whole 2,700-mile trial in the summer of 2026. I have many more goals and many more things I want to go see and experience. and am excited for my new adventures.
It’s really easy for your brain to tell you that you can’t do something. You have to listen to your body rather than your head. If you feel good, keep pushing. If you feel sick, take a step back. Throughout my hikes in those tough times where I questioned my limits, I knew I might not go faster, but I would always go further.
