Former soldier breaks record for climbing world's highest peaks

London — British special forces veteran Nirmal Purja set a new record by climbing 14 peaks over 26,000 feet in just six months. It took the previous record-holder nearly eight years.

"We made it, not only for us, we made it for everybody," Purja said.

The 36-year-old mountaineer reached his final summit, Shishapangma in China on Tuesday morning. According to BBC News, his climbing career began with Mount Everest in 2012.

Purja's journey took him to some of the most stunning but dangerous places on the planet and to heights where the human body starts to die from lack of oxygen. During those six months, he also rescued several climbers. 

The former elite soldier battled sub-zero temperatures, blinding snowstorms and traffic jams. In May, he snapped a photo of 320 climbers waiting to summit Mount Everest. 

In the end, just after sunrise, he climbed his final peak, posting on Instagram, "mission achieved." His mission was not just to push human endurance, but to inspire others.