Historical Figure
Edmund Hillary
d. 2008
New Zealand mountaineer (1919–2008)
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Biography
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, which was led by John Hunt. From 1985 to 1988, he served as New Zealand's High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh and concurrently as Ambassador to Nepal.
In Their Own Words (5)
While standing on top of Everest, I looked across the valley, towards the other great peak, Makalu, and mentally worked out a route about how it could be climbed… it showed me that, even though I was standing on top of the world, it wasn’t the end of everything for me, by any means. I was still looking beyond to other interesting challenges.
Foreword to Peak Performance : Business Lessons from the World's Top Sports Organizations (2000) by Clive Gibson, Mike Pratt, Kevin Roberts and Ed Weymes. , 2000
Well, we knocked the bastard off!
Hillary's comment to George Lowe, after his successful ascent of Mt Everest, as he and Tenzing Norgay were descending from the summit. (29 May 1953); as recounted in Nothing Venture, Nothing Win (1975) Ch. 10; also recounted as "Well George, we’ve knocked the bastard off." as quoted by Jan Morris in "Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay" for Time magazine (14 June 1999) , 1975
Better if he had said something natural like, "Jesus, here we are."
On Neil Armstrong’s famous first words on stepping on the surface of the moon, "That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." The Sunday Times [London] (21 July 1974) , 1974
Nobody climbs mountains for scientific reasons. Science is used to raise money for the expeditions, but you really climb for the hell of it.
As quoted in Wise Guys : Brilliant Thoughts and Big Talk from Real Men (2005) by Allan Zullo, p. 5 , 2005
Having just paid our respects to the highest mountain in the world, I then had no choice but to urinate on it.
View from the Summit Simon and Schuster (2000) pp 15-16 [orig pub 1999]. Also (slightly misquoted) in Thinker, Failure, Soldier, Jailer Aurum Press (2012) p 22 ed. Harry de Quetteville. , 2000
Timeline
The story of Edmund Hillary, told in moments.
Reached the summit of Mount Everest with Tenzing Norgay at 11:30 a.m. First confirmed ascent. When asked what he did at the top, he said he looked for signs that George Mallory had been there before him.
Led the first overland expedition to the South Pole since Scott in 1912, using modified farm tractors. Reached the pole ahead of schedule.
Began building schools and hospitals in Nepal's Khumbu region. Spent decades on this work. The Sherpas mattered more to him than the summit. He said so repeatedly.
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