7-year-old Texan becomes youngest female to ever climb Mount Kilimanjaro

When she reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro last month, Montannah Kenney, 7, became the youngest female to climb to the top of Africa's highest mountain.

A resident of Austin, Texas, Kenney and her mom, Hollie, planned the adventure as a way of honoring Montannah's dad, who died when she was a toddler. "The higher I go, the closer I get to him in heaven," she told the Austin American-Statesman before leaving for Tanzania.

Family friend Declan Waters said they started their journey on March 10, and reached the top March 16. The record used to be held by Roxy Getter, 8, of Florida. It's estimated that about 25,000 people attempt to climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro every year, with roughly two-thirds successful.

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