By Philip Fernando in Los Angeles
Edmund Hillary will be remembered for his feat in climbing Mount Everest along with his Sherpa guide Tensing Norgay: first two human beings to reach Earth's highest point in the Himalayas, on 29 May 1953. Soon after climbing Everest he was reported to have listened to the overseas channel of Radio Ceylon broadcast, perhaps the only English broadcast reaching that altitude. Hillary was knighted for climbing Everest and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark called him the “best known New Zealander to ever live.” New Zealand's five pound note carries the face of Sir Hillary.
Sir Edmund also lead expeditions to the South Pole and to the source of the Yangtze River. He was well known for his humanitarian work among the Sherpas through his charity, the Himalayan Trust. Hillary died of heart failure last week, and had been in poor health since suffering a fall while visiting Nepal in April of 2007. He published his Everest memoir High Adventure (1955) and Nothing Venture, Nothing Win (1975, his autobiography.
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Edmund Hillary will be remembered for his feat in climbing Mount Everest along with his Sherpa guide Tensing Norgay: first two human beings to reach Earth's highest point in the Himalayas, on 29 May 1953. Soon after climbing Everest he was reported to have listened to the overseas channel of Radio Ceylon broadcast, perhaps the only English broadcast reaching that altitude. Hillary was knighted for climbing Everest and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark called him the “best known New Zealander to ever live.” New Zealand's five pound note carries the face of Sir Hillary.
Sir Edmund also lead expeditions to the South Pole and to the source of the Yangtze River. He was well known for his humanitarian work among the Sherpas through his charity, the Himalayan Trust. Hillary died of heart failure last week, and had been in poor health since suffering a fall while visiting Nepal in April of 2007. He published his Everest memoir High Adventure (1955) and Nothing Venture, Nothing Win (1975, his autobiography.
(Read more from the Asian Tribune at:
http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/9087
Sir Edmund Hillary, first man to climb Mount Everest, dies age 88
Sir Edmund Hillary, the man who conquered Mount Everest, has died, the New Zealand government said.
The 88-year-old shot to fame when he scaled the world's highest mountain along with Tenzing Norgay in 1953, just days before the coronation of Elizabeth II.
After returning from the summit, the famously matter-of-fact climber greeted a fellow expedition member with the words: "Well, George, we've knocked the bastard off."
The 88-year-old shot to fame when he scaled the world's highest mountain along with Tenzing Norgay in 1953, just days before the coronation of Elizabeth II.
After returning from the summit, the famously matter-of-fact climber greeted a fellow expedition member with the words: "Well, George, we've knocked the bastard off."
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