Everest conqueror Hillary dies
Updated on 11 January 2008
New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary, who conquered Mount Everest with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, has died of a heart attack at the age of 88.
He shot to fame when he scaled the world's highest peak on May 29, 1953, just days before the coronation of Elizabeth II.
He is to receive a state funeral in his native New Zealand, where Prime Minister Helen Clark's described him as "a quintessential Kiwi".
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 b****** off."
Following his success on Everest, Sir Edmund spent much of his life supporting humanitarian work among the Sherpas and led expeditions to the South Pole and the source of the Yangtze River.
Step-daughter Suzie said that he was in "high spirits" before his death at Auckland City Hospital at 9am local time.
George Band, at 24 the youngest member of the Everest expedition in 1953, said: "He was a very tough, lean, six-footer, a very determined person, and he and George Lowe were the two New Zealand members of our party, our team of 14 led by John Hunt, and when he wasn't rushing up and down the icefall he liked to lie in what we called the 'Everest position', which was just lying flat out, relaxing on your bed."
Born on July 20, 1919, Sir Edmund's grandparents were early settlers in New Zealand in the mid-19th century, after emigrating from Yorkshire.
His interest in climbing was sparked at the age of 16 when he went on a school trip to Mount Ruapehu.
Sir Edmund was part of a British reconnaissance expedition to Everest in 1951 led by Eric Shipton before joining the successful British attempt of 1953.
The expedition set up base camp in March 1953 and worked slowly before setting up its final camp at the South Col, 7,900m (25,900ft).
On May 26, two team-mates attempted the climb, but turned back when the oxygen system of one failed.
The pair had reached the South Summit, coming within 100m (300ft) of the summit. Sir Edmund and Tenzing were directed to go for the summit.
After bad weather hampered the pair for two days, they set out on May 28 with a support trio.
A tent was pitched at 8,500m (27,900ft) on May 28, while their support group returned down the mountain.
Sir Edmund discovered the following morning that his boots had frozen solid outside the tent and spent two hours warming them before he and Tenzing attempted the final ascent carrying 30lb packs.
Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund spent only about 15 minutes at the summit. News of the successful expedition reached Britain on the day of the coronation.
Sir Edmund continued with his treks up until April last year when he suffered a fall on a trip to Kathmandu and was hospitalised after returning to New Zealand.
He married Louise Mary Rose in September 1953 and had three children - Peter, Sarah and Belinda.
Louise and Belinda were tragically killed in a plane crash near Kathmandu airport shortly after take-off while en route to join their father in the village of Phaphlu, where he was helping build a hospital in 1975.
Sir Edmund went on to marry June Mulgrew, the widow of his close friend Peter Mulgrew, on December 21, 1989.
His son Peter Hillary also became a climber, conquering Everest in 1990. In April 2003, Peter and Jamling Tenzing Norgay (son of Tenzing) climbed Everest as part of a 50th anniversary celebration.
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