A Navy SEAL being able to scale the Willis Tower is probably not all that surprising – but not for this particular Navy SEAL. The loss of a limb and suffering serious injuries did not deter him from accomplishing physical feats.

A feature on Sign On San Diego recounts the recent adventure of Navy SEAL Elliot Miller, who successfully scaled what is now considered as the tallest building in the Americas. He was successfully able to hurdle 103 floors – all the while sporting a prosthetic leg.

He reached the topmost floor at 6:30 in the morning on Sunday, wearing what Jason Jadgchew, Miller’s trainer, called “the biggest smile they have seen on his face in three years.”

Three years ago, in 2006, Elliot Miller was deployed to Iraq. On November 19th – exactly three years from yesterday – Miller was wounded in a bomb and grenade attack in Ramadi, Iraq. The incident resulted in the loss of one of his legs and other injuries that included a shattered shoulder and burns that covered 60 percent of his body. The tragedy also resulted in a brain injury that left Miller with limited speech. He has to undergo “dozens of surgeries” as well as “thousands of hours of painful rehabilitation” after sustaining his injuries.

Jadgchew was quoted in the article as saying that “SEALs would rather die than quit,” and that was exactly what Miller did. Despite his injuries, he managed to press on, doing things that even able-bodied people with perfect use of all their appendages would not do.

Miller’s climb to what may be termed as the “top of Chicago” began a little after midnight on Sunday. His strategy included taking quick breaks every 5 floors as well as stopping for water every ten floors. He removed his prosthetic leg and performed stretching exercises every 25 floors.

All in all, Elliot Miller climbed 2,109 steps, surrounded by supportive family and friends. He has barely completed this challenge when he began planning his next one — the Burj Dubai in the UAE, reportedly set to open in January, standing nearly twice as high as the Willis Tower. And something tells us he will hurdle this one just the same.