Tenzing Norgay

Hello! My name is Tenzing Norgay, and I want to tell you my story. I was born in 1914 in a village high up in the Himalayan mountains in Nepal. My people are called Sherpa, and we are used to living where the air is thin and the peaks are covered in snow. The biggest mountain of all was right near my home. You might know it as Mount Everest. We call it Chomolungma, which means 'Goddess Mother of the World.' I loved the mountains and dreamed that one day I would climb to the very top of it.

When I grew up, I became a porter. That meant I helped climbers from all over the world carry their heavy equipment up the steep slopes. It was hard work, but it was the best school I could ask for! I learned how to use ropes and ice axes, how to read the weather, and how to stay safe on the dangerous ice. Over the years, I joined many expeditions trying to reach the top of Everest. Each time, we had to turn back because of the strong winds or deep snow. But I never gave up on my dream.

In 1953, I joined a big expedition from Great Britain. My new friend and climbing partner was a man from New Zealand named Edmund Hillary. We made a great team! We carefully climbed higher and higher, past deep cracks in the ice and up steep, rocky walls. Finally, on the morning of May 29th, 1953, we made the final climb. We stepped onto the summit together—we were the first people to ever stand on the very top of the world! I was so thankful, I buried some chocolates in the snow as a gift to the mountain.

After our climb, Edmund and I became famous. I was so happy to show the world what a Sherpa could do. I later helped start a school, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, to teach other people how to climb the mountains safely. I lived to be 71 years old, and I am proud that my story still inspires people to be brave, to work as a team, and to follow their own big dreams, no matter how high they seem.