Posts: 721
From: Wellington, New Zealand
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 01-10-2008 05:18 PM               

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A large number of cS members have indicated an interest in the life and work of Sir Edmund Hillary over the time I have been on the boards.

With sadness I am posting the first news link advising of his passing today.

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From: Upcountry, Maui, Hawaii
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posted 01-10-2008 05:32 PM            

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What a fabulous life he lived.

A true explorer moving on to his next High Adventure. Aloha.

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From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-10-2008 05:36 PM               

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In 2005, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover came across an outcrop that was nicknamed "Hillary" in honor of Sir Edmund:

An asteroid detected in December 1981 was named by its discover "Hillary" after he had worked with Sir Hillary in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year.

Hillary was born on July 20, 1919, 50 years to the day prior to the first lunar landing. Of Neil Armtrong's first words on the surface, Hillary was quoted as saying, "Better if he had said something natural like, Jesus, here we are." In 1985, Hillary accompanied Armstrong in a small, twin-engine ski plane to land at the North Pole. He thus became the first man to stand at both poles as well as the summit of Everest.

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From: San Diego
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posted 01-10-2008 06:37 PM            

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I'm very saddened to read this news.

He was a good example of how, after achieving worldwide fame with an unprecedented feat of exploration and a first for humankind, you can live a life well. Not too much in the public spotlight, not too much out of it... putting his experience to great use in the fields of international diplomacy and, most importantly, the great conservation work that he did, without overstretching his bounds.

While he could have, from the outset, boosted his own fame by stating that he was the first to set foot on the summit, he instead always emphasized that he and Tenzing Norgay made the climb together. it was only long after Norgay had died, many decades after the climb, that Hillary confirmed that he had been first (something that Tenzing Norgay had made public earlier), even then emphasizing their joint work. While Hillary took photos of Tenzing Norgay at the summit, he did not ask to be photographed himself. The parallels and differences with the first moon landing / first step on the moon are quite interesting.

There are many (astronauts included) who have not handled the spotlight and the demands so well after their achievements - Hillary was a person to be admired both for his achievements and for what he did afterwards.

Posts: 3161
From: San Diego
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 01-10-2008 06:39 PM            

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...and this sad event also brings to mind JFK's famous speech on the Apollo program:

"But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask, why climb the highest mountain?"

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From: London, UK
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posted 01-11-2008 04:26 AM               

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One of the last great "amateur" adventurers who did not need armies of support teams or risk management measures to achieve his goal.

In true Kiwi style Hillary's response to reaching the summit was succinct. "Well, we knocked the bastard off," he told his companions on returning to base camp.

RIP Sir Edmund.

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posted 01-12-2008 04:33 AM               

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A true hero of an that has passed, i have a nice 8X10 of him on Everest.

There are not many real heroes left now.

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