We live a world where I think we need more real heros or at least some good news stories.
Last Thursday I attended our Stake's Scout Banquet. The highlight for me was the guest speaker. He's one of those good news stories.
His name is Andrew Brash. (Ironically he's not brash at all - I found him to be a very down to earth, nice guy). He's a Calgarian who attempted to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in 2006.
Andrew Brash and his team on Everest
However only 200 meters from the summit his team came across a member of another team who was left for dead the day before. The day before Lincoln Hall from Australia had reached the summit with his team but on his descent he began to suffer from altitude sickness with causes hallucinations and confusion. Two sherpas stayed with him and attempted a rescue by eventually Hall had no detectable pulse or breathing. The leader of their group instructed the sherpas to come down as their oxygen was running out and a storm was moving in. The leader called Hall's wife and told her that her husband had died on the mountain.
Early the next morning Brash and his team came across Hall sitting up - he had removed his suit to the waist and and removed his hat and gloves and goggles. Since the sherpas assumed he was dead the day before they took his pack that had his sleeping back, oxygen, food and other essentials. When Brash and his team approached Hall he surprised them by saying "I imagine you're surprised to see me here".
The were amazed to see this man alive after spending the night at 8600 meters on Everest without oxygen and proper equipment and much of what he did have was removed. Hall appeared lucid but was still confused and hallucinating - He thought he was on a boat. That's probably why he had removed his clothes.
Hall was on the ledge. His arm is over the edge. Its about 8000 ft down. You can see how close they were for the summit (the point above Hall's head).
The team radioed back that they had come across Hall. A rescue team was sent.
Hall on the mountain waiting for the rescue team.
Brash said that they did the only thing they could have - helped Hall. The week before another climber died on Everest. He was suffering much like Hall was but the difference was 40 other climbers passed him by so they could reach the summit. For Brash and his team that wasn't even an option. They abandoned the summit to stay with Hall who was badly frostbitten. They managed to get his clothes on and after some time with oxygen Hall began to think clearly. By the time the rescue team arrived it was too late in the day for Brash and his team to continue on to the summit. It was only 200 meters away but at over 8600 meters in altitude that is still a major trek. The good news is that Hall recovered (less finger tips). Hall and Brash have become great friends.
Lincoln Hall (L) with Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier and Andrew Brash (R) in 2008.
In 2008 Brash was able to return to Everest and this time he did reach the summit.
His talk at the Scout banquet was about going for your goals and dreams. But to me there was a deeper message. It was that there are some things more important than your dreams. As Brash said about their decision "The mountain would still be there but a person's life would not".
To me Brash and his team are real heros.
Related news stories and links:
www.andrewbrash.com
200 metres from Everest summit, Canadian halts climb to rescue man
Cdn. climber recounts Aussie's Mt. Everest rescue
Calgary man makes it to top of Everest on 3rd try
Everest 2006: Sitting to our left, about two feet from a 10,000 foot drop, was Lincoln Hall
Lincoln Hall (climber)
