Nawang Sherpa died because he refused to abandon his ailing, befuddled client near the summit of Everest. Nawang received no recognition for his sacrifice.
Jon Mills, a UK climber on a different Everest team, contacted ExplorersWeb to share a story that had been haunting him since he returned from the summit. Mills and his sherpa guide, Furinji, were the last to see Nawang alive. He was staring into the void beside his client, Cheruiyot Kirui of Kenya.
For about two hours, Kirui — who stubbornly wanted to continue climbing no-O2, despite altitude sickness — had rejected the life-giving oxygen that Nawang begged him to use. Neither made it down alive. Yet Kirui’s body was recovered within hours, while Nawang’s remains were never found.
We couldn’t find a picture of Nawang or a line describing his previous climbs and life. On Everest, he worked for Seven Summit Treks, but the company did not mention him on its social media. In the story we posted about his demise, we asked readers to share any images or information about him.
We received an email a few days later with a photo attached.
“He was really a nice guy; it’s a true tragedy,” said Chris P, who asked us not to share his full name or nationality.
Nawang Sherpa and Chris P. on Mera Peak last year. Photo: @chrisclimbs2022
Chris explained that Nawang guided him on Mera Peak.
“He was an amazing and understanding guide and very personable,” Chris said.
