Edmund Hillary Essay

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Sir Edmund Hillary
With temperatures well below freezing, blistering winds, thin air, and sheer exhaustion, Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay did what no one in the world had ever done. On May 29, 1953 Hillary and Norgay set foot on the highest point on earth (Rosenberg). Many climbers had tried and failed, many lost their lives, but Hillary, a beekeeper from Auckland, New Zealand, and Norgay a Sherpa from Nepal, achieved every climber’s dream which is to stand on top of the world, to stand atop the beautiful Mount Everest.
Edmund Hillary was born in Auckland, New Zealand to Gertrude and Percival Hillary on July 19, 1919. He was a shy and studious child. He did not have many friends and he loved to read. When he was a teenager he grew to a height of 6'5". He was awkward in sports so he took up boxing to build up his confidence. During a high school field trip to Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand's Southern Alps, he discovered his love of climbing. (Johnston)
After graduating high school, Hillary attended the University of Auckland where he studied mathematics and science. Hillary’s first major climb was when he was 20. He reached the summit of Mount Ollivier, which is located in the Southern Alps. This particular trip sparked his passion for climbing. While he was at the University he also joined outdoor clubs to satisfy his love of climbing. He later joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force and during World War II he suffered a serious burn in a boating accident. He healed quickly and then was sent home. (Johnson 51)

Sandefur 2
After the War, Hillary had one goal in mind, to summit Mount Everest. He was determined to go where no man had been before. He was ready to return to climbing. Like their father, Hillary and ...

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...tion of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. In 1958 he was part of the first expedition to the South Pole. He was the first overland explorer to do so since Captain Robert F Scott's expedition in 1912. In 1985 Sir Edmund Hillary and astronaut Neil Armstrong flew over the Arctic Ocean and landed on the North Pole making Hillary the first person to reach both poles and the summit of Everest. (Biography.com)
Sir Edmund Hillary died January 11, 2008. He was known for being one of New Zealand’s most trusted individuals. The flags throughout the country were lowered to half-mast when he died. Time magazine listed him as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. People today are still attempting to summit Everest and only few have succeeded. Sir Edmund Hillary’s passion for adventure has paved the way for many explorers today. (Biography.com).

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