Sir Edmund Hillary

Hello, my name is Sir Edmund Hillary, and I lived a life full of adventure. I was born on July 20th, 1919, in Auckland, New Zealand. As a boy, I was quite shy and spent a lot of my time reading books about adventure. I never imagined I would have grand adventures of my own. That all changed in 1935 when my school took a trip to Mount Ruapehu. Seeing the snow-covered volcanic peaks and experiencing the thrill of the climb ignited a passion inside me. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a mountaineer. To pursue this dream, I needed a job that would keep me strong and give me enough free time to climb. I found the perfect fit as a beekeeper. Working with my father and brother in our family business built my physical strength and endurance. During World War II, I served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a navigator from 1943 until 1945, which took me far from my beloved mountains but taught me discipline and courage.

After the war ended in 1945, I returned to New Zealand and dedicated myself completely to mountaineering. I sharpened my skills on the peaks of the Southern Alps and soon set my sights on the greatest mountain range of all: the Himalayas. In the early 1950s, I took part in several expeditions there, gaining valuable experience at high altitudes. At that time, Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, remained unclimbed. It was one of the last great unsolved challenges of exploration, and climbers from all over the world dreamed of being the first to reach its summit. In 1953, I received an incredible invitation to join the British Mount Everest expedition, a massive effort led by a skilled military man named Colonel John Hunt. It was on this expedition that I was paired with a climbing partner who would become a lifelong friend: Tenzing Norgay. Tenzing was an incredibly skilled and brave Sherpa mountaineer who knew the Himalayas better than anyone. We understood from the start that climbing Everest would require immense preparation, teamwork, and trust.

Our team established a series of camps up the mountain, with climbers and Sherpas working together to carry supplies and prepare the route. The final climb to the summit was the most difficult and dangerous part of the journey. On the morning of May 29th, 1953, Tenzing and I left the highest camp for our final push. We faced incredible challenges. The cold was bitter, and the air was dangerously thin, making every step feel like a monumental effort. We had to carry heavy oxygen tanks just to breathe. Near the top, we encountered a formidable obstacle: a steep, 40-foot rock face. It looked almost impossible to climb, but I found a crack in the ice and rock and managed to wedge my way up. This section is now known as the Hillary Step. Finally, after hours of exhausting climbing, we stood on the very top of the world. The view was breathtaking, with clouds below us and the great peaks of the Himalayas stretching out in every direction. I took a famous photograph of Tenzing holding his ice axe, and I buried a small cross in the snow. The news of our success reached Britain just in time for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on June 2nd, 1953, making our achievement feel like a gift to the new queen and the world.

Reaching the summit of Everest changed my life forever. Later in 1953, I was knighted by the Queen, and suddenly, the shy beekeeper from New Zealand was known around the globe. But my adventures were far from over. My desire to explore led me to the other end of the Earth. On January 4th, 1958, I reached the South Pole as part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, becoming one of the first to travel there overland since Captain Scott in 1912. However, my most important journey began when I returned to Nepal. I felt a deep connection to the Sherpa people who had been so crucial to our success on Everest. I saw that many of their communities lacked basic necessities like schools for their children and medical care. This inspired me to start a new kind of adventure—one focused on giving back. In 1960, I founded the Himalayan Trust. The mission was simple: to work with the Sherpa people to build schools and hospitals. This work became my new life's purpose, and it brought me more satisfaction than standing on any mountain peak.

I lived a full life, filled with incredible journeys from the highest mountains to the icy plains of the Antarctic. Yet, looking back, I believe my most meaningful achievement was not climbing Everest, but the work I did with my friends in Nepal. I lived to be 88 years old. While many people remember me for being one of the first two people to stand on top of Mount Everest, I hope they also remember my dedication to helping others. The work of the Himalayan Trust continues to this day, supporting the health and education of the Sherpa people. I hope my story encourages you to find and conquer your own personal 'Everests' and to always remember to extend a hand to those in need.