Climber left to die after going blind on Mt. Everest

hannah said on May 20, 2012 at 11:21 AM

to each their own !! so much judgement here, you all should be ashamed :o( glad he went doing something he wanted to do!! better then being taken out by a drunk driver, RIP

jtooley said on April 11, 2012 at 11:10 AM

So sad! :(

taxdollarsponge said on March 11, 2012 at 7:26 PM

@newlogin86,get off your high horse.

newlogin86 said on January 30, 2012 at 1:51 PM

Why do people keep thinking climbing a freakin mountain thousands have done, is "living life to the fullest"?? Did he hold a steady job? Raise a family? Contribute to society? No, he went and played. And he was not physically prepared. It sucks this had to happen to him, I guess its the same with any risky activity.. but its not LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST, to do something that ends it about 50 years early.

newlogin86 said on January 30, 2012 at 1:49 PM

Gixxer said on November 1, 2011 at 9:09 AMYou only live once and I'll bet at 28 he did more living than most do their whole lives.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> WHat a stupid statement.. what does it mean to LIVE??? LIVING is not climbing a mountain.. BFD. Living is having a job, marrying, raising a family, adventures fine, but its not LIVING to climb snow and rocks in freezing temps at the risk of life or death.

cmeeverett said on January 17, 2012 at 9:50 PM

why do people do these dangerous adventures when there are so many health risks involved? Was this really worth it? What an idiot.

Gixxer said on November 1, 2011 at 10:09 AM

You only live once and I'll bet at 28 he did more living than most do their whole lives.

JustTheFacts said on July 22, 2011 at 10:53 PM

@tenacious... I would never climb Mt. Everest, sky dive, bungee jump...etc, but I see nothing wrong with other people living life to the fullest. What's the point if you are going to live in a bubble all your life? Don't you know you can die doing anything, in fact I am pretty sure that these "thrill-seeking, death-defying displays of idiocy" overall are no more dangerous than driving a car, swimming... Some people find enjoyment in volunteering, some don't. Everyone should enjoy their life as long as it is not endangering someone else. I also wanted to say I hope your child is doing okay now.

JustTheFacts said on July 22, 2011 at 10:39 PM

That is very sad, but when you climb Mt. Everest it is a risk you take. The Sherpa's try their best to get people to the top and back down safely. They can't be expected to die with someone who is obviously not going to make it off the mountain. They spent 12 hours trying to save him. He knew the risks and was willing to take them.

rob2tall said on July 5, 2011 at 8:06 PM

wow.left to die as he loses his eyesight..what kind of person just leaves you to die?

seasaw said on February 24, 2011 at 11:10 PM

so then does he get a refund?

horribleron said on February 23, 2011 at 4:36 PM

I'll bet it's getting a bit morbid looking up there on Everest with all the frozen dead climbers just laying around.

treeclimber said on February 15, 2011 at 9:06 PM

(spee dork) you are blind and need to be left behind,iam sure nobody would even miss your comments.

speeadork said on February 15, 2011 at 4:01 PM

Maybe we could get him back and replace Gregoire with him....after all, she is BLIND to the situation.....how much worse could he do?

tenacious said on October 21, 2010 at 7:26 PM

It shows the caliber of people who do these thrill-seeking, death-defying displays of idiocy, including sky-diving and other high-risk sports. These people have no respect for life or gratitude for being here. I took my 4 year old to chemo 19 times. I saw kids with sunken eyes and gray skin and wondered if they'd be there the following week. If these people are so brave, why don't they volunteer at a pediatric cancer center and see kids who wonder if they'll make it to adulthood? The volunteers I saw painting little girls nails and doing puzzles or playing video games with little boys, those people are braver than these selfish fools. It's sad to think this hiker died, but then it could have been prevented.

wrsawy said on October 13, 2010 at 6:21 AM

When your 28,000 feet in the air, bad things happen. I'll stick to a nice day hike, a cold beer later that night, and a good nights rest after a warm shower. Sure beats going blind, than sitting on top of the mountain day after day, wondering if or when someone will come to help, only to left alone to die a slow and painful death.

ksquared said on June 3, 2010 at 10:21 AM

kbcoop - you are absolutely correct! Suppose they would have left him behind?

kbbcoop said on June 3, 2010 at 7:33 AM

This just shows how irresponsible it was for the parents of that 13 year old to let him climb Everest earlier this year, to "realize his dream". DUMB!

mrsss said on June 3, 2010 at 6:06 AM

It's not suprising to see people die on various mountains around the world, when they probably aren't qualified to be there in the first place. If you climb mountains in extreame conditions, you take your chances.

logan555 said on June 2, 2010 at 11:07 PM

This is frustrating to me... reading a bunch of comments left by people who don't understand why people seek out remote places in the first place. This man, no doubt understood (and signed many, many pages of contracts stating such) what he was doing and the enormous risk involved. There is no gain if there is no risk. Your judgment of his teammates is completely unfair. Until you are in that position you cannot possibly know what you'd do. I HOPE you wouldn't remain and perish as well......

plutonomics said on June 2, 2010 at 7:42 PM

@haylee, imagine that staying with that person meant you also die. Would you do that for someone you don't even know or may have met for the first time a few weeks prior? It's not like they were leaving your children to die. You just don't risk several lives to save one, what is the good in that? Yeah they'd be heroes alright, dead heroes.

kidrickrockford said on June 2, 2010 at 7:28 PM

Experienced Climbers,Well stocked and Equipped, Know that there may be a moment when you have to let a man go, cut a line, let go to save your own life, had the roles been reversed the man that died would have made the same decision to leave him behind, on the mountain there is no law, you are it! there are no courts to clear the legality of the moment , its raw life and sometimes we a civilized people forget that raw natures waiting right outside our doors and that rawness sometimes makes men make unfathomable decisions based upon the moment regardless of the consequences or moral liability. This another example of a Great physical moments that g terribly bad, and my heart goes out to the family. I hope it’s ok to say this, but He died how he wanted to live and that’s the best freedom a man can ask for. And I hope someday I am as lucky. 

dasindog said on June 2, 2010 at 6:29 PM

This is one of those situations where it's 'You go, We go...' and the Sherpa's aint about to go....

clear2copy said on June 2, 2010 at 6:06 PM

It's sad when known risks get realized.

seattle1111 said on June 2, 2010 at 5:14 PM

A story that I don't even like to think of and a decision I for sure would never want to make.I just feel horrible for everyone involved.

thesnowqueen said on June 2, 2010 at 4:55 PM

What a horrible story....his poor Mother. I guess that if they could have done something, they would have.........The survivors are not going to have an easy time with this.

logan555 said on June 2, 2010 at 4:13 PM

Part of climbing at that altitude is that rescue is unavailable. .... You know those risks when you go. You cannot climb a mountain like that and expect other people to die with/for you, sounds like they tried everything as it was. It's difficult terrain in the best of conditions. I'm sure they are aching with grief having to leave him there, and they still have a long way to safety themselves. For him, I just send prayers that his passing is as quick and painless as possible... and that his family is comforted with the knowledge he was doing what he truly loved and had accomplished, what was surely, a life long dream.

justhonest said on June 2, 2010 at 3:47 PM

Ruba61 yes how terrible. I do not judge them but I also do not know how I could live with myself if I had to do that. Terrible situation.

phearis said on June 2, 2010 at 3:40 PM

You all might not like it and think it's cruel but it's survival of the fittest at that point. The good of the many out weighed the good of the one. It was either the whole group stay and die on the mountain, or 1 stay and die. The choice really isn't that hard. And if I was in that position, I would have no problem leaving someone behind or being left behind. Climbing Everest, your body starts dying as you get higher, that's why they only spend a few minutes at the summit before descending. Climbers know the risks and there's a reason it's the worlds most dangerous mountain.

ruba61 said on June 2, 2010 at 3:25 PM

I could never leave a man down like that and continue to live with myself for the rest of my life. I would have stayed to get him off the mountain even if it killed me. I know myself and i just couldn't do it and face my family, friends and his family and explain why i left him but that's me! I can not place judgement against those on the mountain who did what they felt they had to do! Its a horrible situation to be in!

haylee said on June 2, 2010 at 3:22 PM

I can't imagine leaving a human to die scared and alone. I wouldn't even do that to an animal. Hopefully there is something they are not telling us like they gave him something dull his senses. Yikes I hate this story.

emptynestr said on June 2, 2010 at 3:08 PM

No heros here. How sad. My heart aches for the man left behind with such a fate. How lonely. And yes, how cold.

anonymoususer said on June 2, 2010 at 2:52 PM

They can't call in rescue helicopters in that area I suppose. I guess they can't carry oxygen either. Maybe if they carried enough sedatives the person would die in their sleep and it would be more humane. Staying / helping would have put the entire party in danger. It's an unfortunate tragedy although all climbers know - and accept - the risks.

littledude said on June 2, 2010 at 2:47 PM

so did they leave him there to die slowly in pain or shoot him or knock him out? Since he was gonna die anyway i would have tossed him down the mountain so maybe his body can be recovered atleast (or easier to recover)

aziza said on June 2, 2010 at 2:39 PM

Tragic, but what else could they do?

kennovak67184564 said on June 2, 2010 at 2:02 PM

livefreeordie ~ You should give credit to George Carlin for the flea comment! And to think, he paid for the privilage to climb the mountian. Hope it was worth it...

igjoe said on June 2, 2010 at 1:57 PM

watch george carlin much?

livefreeordie said on June 2, 2010 at 1:38 PM

Nature takes another victim. And we as humans have the gall to think we are more powerful than nature? To the earth we are nothing more than a minor case of fleas.

think said on June 2, 2010 at 1:05 PM

Should've stayed in England.

hastaluego said on June 2, 2010 at 12:50 PM

Now THAT'S COLD!!!