Jeffrey Mantel

After 29 years in soccer, including six years as a minor league player, and 12 years as a professional league referee, I began a 22-year career in Arctic and Polar exploration. This involves hauling a 50-pound backpack and dragging a 100-pound sledge for 10 hours a day over the rough terrain and floating sea ice of the remote Arctic. High level soccer and trekking to the North Pole and other hard core Arctic exploration has taken a toll on my knees and required a partial knee replacement in August, 2016.

I was most fortunate to Dr. Nawabi at HSS. His knowledge and exceptional skill enabled me to make a recovery in half the usual amount of time. As a result, I received recent news from Dr. Nawabi that my Arctic exploration days are not over as originally expected, and I will be one of three expedition leaders on an expedition to the North Pole in early 2018.