Sir Edmund Hillary, First Man atop Mt. Everest, Dies at 88

Sir Edmund Hillary, the man who will forever be remembered as the first to reach the peak of Mt. Everest, died in Auckland, New Zealand Friday morning at the age of 88.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark called Hillary a “quintessential Kiwi,” and went on to define how much the adventurer defined the spirit of the country, “He was an heroic figure who not only 'knocked off' Everest but lived a life of determination, humility, and generosity.”

Governor-General Anand Satyanand went a step further and recognized Hillary’s accomplishments as a humanitarian, bringing and individual who should be emulated, “The loss of Sir Edmund is a loss for all those who sought to improve our world.” He continued, “Through his many achievements in the Himalayas, Nepal, Antarctica, India and elsewhere, Sir Edmund was an important role model. He was a leader who showed how to set goals and achieve them.”

Hillary reached the summit of Mt. Everest on May 28, 1953 and spent approximately 15 minutes atop the earth’s highest point. After descending the peak Hillary is quoted as telling his good friend George Lowe, “Well George, we finally knocked the bastard off.”

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