Our focus today is on Robert Kay, a man whose pursuit of conquering Everest took an unexpected turn when he encountered one of the most treacherous challenges faced by mountaineers—high altitude pulmonary edema and high altitude cerebral edema. This story is a testament to the power of determination, the bonds formed in the face of adversity, and the unwavering support that can arise from a community of climbers.
Descending from the summit of Mount Everest, Robert Kay found himself in a perilous race against the debilitating effects of high altitude in the unforgiving "Death Zone" of the world's highest peak.
About his descent, Robert said “It was a detached sensation,” he recalled. “I didn’t feel scared or upset. I know where when I'm going to die and it's right here in a few seconds. Not many people get to know exactly where and when they're going to die, and I do and that's interesting. It didn't seem terrifying at the time.”
Listen in this week and learn about Robert Kay's determination to climb Everest, and the determination of his team and other teams on the mountain to rescue him from his life threatening conditions.
Robert is eternally grateful for the following individuals who rescued him; "The bottom line for me in this story is that I have been given a second chance at life due to the bravery, skills, hard work and sacrifice of others. I feel like a soldier returning from battle after his buddies carried him through a hail of bullets. Were it not for Pasang Ongchu Sherpa, Sange Sherpa, Ben and Laura Darlington, Barbara Padilla, Lysle Turner, Billy Nugent, Phil Crampton, Jason the pilot, the doctors at the CIWEC Clinic, the six men who carried me to my tent and the six men who carried me over a mile in the snow and dark into C2 there is no doubt in my mind that I would be dead on the side of the mountain that has held my attention for 39 years."
Resources:
https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/a-nebraskan-climbed-mount-everestand-it-almost-killed-him/
https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2013/03/20/everest-2013-interview-with-robert-kay-nepal-connections/
https://www.markhorrell.com/blog/2016/a-long-overdue-heroic-story-of-rescue-high-on-everest/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1922_British_Mount_Everest_expedition#:~:text=The%201922%20British%20Mount%20Everest,climb%20Everest%20using%20bottled%20oxygen.


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