We remember Sir Edmund Hillary, a great New Zealand hero

The death of Sir Edmund Hillary on January 11th is an event that has touched every New Zealander. As one of our greatest New Zealand heroes, Hillary was not only a Kiwi adventurer of the highest calibre, he was a compassionate and visionary person. In short, a truly admirable human being. Of himself, he said:

“In some ways I believe I epitomise the average New Zealander. I have modest abilities; I combine these with a good deal of determination, and I rather like to succeed.”

Best remembered for conquering Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, Hillary’s achievement was one of the defining moments of the 20th century and an event that captured the imaginations of people around the globe. Following his achievement, Hillary committed his life and role as a famous New Zealander to helping others – adopting humanitarian and environmental causes, and directing his energy towards assisting Nepalese communities. Through the Himalayan Trust, Hillary helped to build over thirty schools, twelve medical clinics and two hospitals in Nepal, remaining active in fundraising and supervision of humanitarian projects for over four decades.

Life began humbly for this great man, who as a boy dreamed of a life as an adventurer. At the age of sixteen, he discovered a love of mountaineering and a natural strength and endurance that was a perfect match for this endeavour. Working as a beekeeper, Hillary had bigger dreams. Even before World War II, he told a friend: “Some day I’m going to climb Everest.” After an accident which saw him discharged from the Air Force, he went on to climb Mount Cook and several other peaks in the Southern Alps, eventually reaching the top of Everest in 1953 with Nepalese Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay. Their achievement was announced on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation: Hillary was knighted, Tenzing was awarded the George medal, and the pair were celebrated as heroes around the world.

Hillary went on to lead an expedition across the Anatarctic to the South Pole, as well as undertaking further climbs in the Himalayas and leading a journey by jetboat up the river Ganges.

In his achievements and through his innate personal strengths, Sir Edmund Hillary was a figure of inspiration to us all.

Image from Flickr.