"I am just fortunate to have the mobility that I do, and I want to take advantage of that while I still can," Mandy Horvath tells PEOPLE
Credit: Courtesy of Mandy Horvath; Courtesy of the Space Needle
NEED TO KNOW
- Bilateral amputee Mandy Horvath isn’t just set to make history with her 98-story climb to the top of the Space Needle
- Her climb will also raise awareness for two cancer research charities and honor her late friend and mentor Sean Foley, a Naked and Afraid executive producer who died of brain cancer
- “I am just fortunate to have the mobility that I do, and I want to take advantage of that while I still can,” she tells PEOPLE
Mandy Horvath, a bilateral amputee climber who has already broken seven world records, is looking to make history once again by climbing the Space Needle.
Weather permitting, on Friday, May 8, Horvath will begin her ascent up the tower's 832 stairs — 98 flights in all. Should she be successful in reaching the observation deck, which is about 520 feet above the city, she'll not only claim her eighth world record, she'll also be honoring her late friend and raising awareness for cancer research.
"I am just fortunate to have the mobility that I do, and I want to take advantage of that while I still can," Horvath tells PEOPLE ahead of the climb. "And if that means I get to help other people along the way, that'll make all the pain and suffering that I go through worth it."
Credit: Courtesy of Mandy Horvath
Horvath was sitting on her couch when a bout of curiosity hit and she wondered, has anyone ever crawled up the stairwell of the Space Needle?
Though she couldn't find any record of such a climb online, Google did remind her of many of her own achievements, including scaling Pikes Peak, the Manitou Incline and Mount Kilimanjaro. That was enough of a sign that it was time to set a new goal.
The Space Needle hosts an annual charity event called Base 2 Space, in which athletes can register to climb in support of a charity. Due to safety risks, Horvath couldn't participate alongside the other athletes, but she did get approval to complete her own mission.
“We're honored to host Mandy for this extraordinary stair climb at the Space Needle and cheer her on every step of the way,” says Karen Olson, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operations Officer at the Space Needle. “Her story is a powerful reminder that limits are meant to be challenged.”
Credit: Courtesy of the Space Needle
Through her climb, Horvath is raising awareness for the Fred Hutch Cancer Center and the American Brain Tumor Association. Additionally, she'll be honoring the memory of her late friend and mentor Sean Foley, the former executive producer of Naked and Afraid who died of brain cancer in December 2025.
Horvath, who appeared on a 2025 episode of the show, says Foley "helped my life grow in such an exponential way." Appearing on the show meant a lot to her, and she says Foley kept encouraging her to keep up with her climbing after her time on the show wrapped.
"Sean was just such an impactful part of my life that I want to help other people seeking answers for cancer," Horvath says. "And this is the way I can do that, through these climbs."
Horvath's climb in Foley's memory also comes as she's hoping to return to Naked and Afraid. After previously completely the show's 21-day challenge, becoming the only bilateral amputee to do so, she applied to be a part of the the show's longer challenge.
"They could call at any time, and I have to be ready to go," she says, adding that if she's selected, she'll complete "40 days for Foley."
Credit: Courtesy of K.Oh! Photography
World record aside, Horvath says she didn't train to climb the Space Needle, per se — rather, she sees the climb as part of her training for Naked and Afraid.
To prepare for the potential opportunity, she's gaining weight — which is great for a show that often includes periods of starvation — but will prove to be a new obstacle for Horvath as she climbs on Friday.
Credit: Discovery Channel
Joining her on her climb, which will begin before the popular tourist attraction officially opens for the day, is Tyler Dean Milligan, one of Horvath's fellow Naked and Afraid cast members.
To protect her hands on the journey, she'll use her tried-and-true 5.11 Tactical gloves, which she's used on every single climb she's embarked on since 2018. In a kind gesture, after learning of Horvath's latest endeavor, 5.11 Tactical donated $5,000 to Fred Hutch Cancer Center and the American Brain Tumor Association for Horvath's climb.
The symbolic and charitable impact of her journey up the Space Needle is profound and bittersweet, she says.
"Hold your friends and family close and don't take it for granted," she says. "I really miss my friend, but I'm grateful and honored that I get this opportunity to climb for charities that have a lot to do with cancer research."
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