May you rest in peace Sir Edmund Hillary

I was very saddened to hear the news this morning that Sir Edmund Hillary has passed away. It is hard to put into words my feelings for this man, but he is nothing short of a hero. He is one of the giant figures in living memory, not only for being the first person to conquer Mt Everest, but also for the tremendous work he has done for the people of his beloved Nepal and his (and my) homeland New Zealand. Sir Edmund is a national icon and a guy that we can all be immensely proud of.

But I think most amazing thing about Sir Edmund is that, despite his massive achievements, he is an incredibly humble man. NZ Prime Minster Helen Clarke put it best in saying that he was a quintessential Kiwi in that he is humble, hard-working and honest.

Sir Edmund is obviously a tremendous inspiration for mountaineers, but he should be for all of his. He was just a normal guy from NZ who managed to achieve so much and still keep a level head.

May you rest in peace Sir Edmund.