Prime Minister Helen Clark said today that the passing of Sir Edmund Hillary, New Zealand's greatest hero, is a profound loss to New Zealand.
"My thoughts are with Lady Hillary, Sir Edmund's children, wider family, and close friends at this sad time," she said in a statement.
"Sir Ed described himself as an average New Zealander with modest abilities. In reality, he was a colossus. He was an heroic figure who not only ‘knocked off' Everest but lived a life of determination, humility, and generosity.
"The legendary mountaineer, adventurer, and philanthropist is the best-known New Zealander ever to have lived. But most of all he was a quintessential Kiwi. He was ours - from his craggy appearance and laconic style to his directness and honesty. All New Zealanders will deeply mourn his passing.
"Sir Ed's 1953 ascent of Mt Everest brought him world-wide fame. Thereafter he set out to support development for the Sherpa people of the Himalayas. His lifetime's humanitarian work there is of huge significance and lasting benefit.
"Sir Ed was not one to bask idly in celebrity. He drew on his international prestige to highlight issues and values which he held dear. His enduring commitment to and respect for the Sherpa people reflects the best of what we as New Zealanders can contribute, from our small developed nation helping another less privileged one.
"Sir Edmund established the Himalayan Trust in the early 1960s and worked tirelessly until his death to raise funds and build schools and hospitals in the mountains.
"The legacy of Sir Edmund Hillary will live on. His exploits continue to inspire new generations of New Zealanders, as they have for more than half a century already," Helen Clark said.
Via money Europe could become political in five years" "... the current communities should be completed by a Finance Common Market which would lead us to European economic unity. Only then would ... the mutual commitments make it fairly easy to produce the political union which is the goal"
Sir Edmund Hillary was a great fellow. He helped further the Sherpas' cause, especially by helping to build and supply schools in Nepal. And his accounts of the climb up the mountain make it pretty clear just who was responsible for them getting to the top of the world. RIP
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CaptainChewbacca wrote:Honestly, I didn't think he was still alive. I knew his Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, had died about 20 years ago, but I hadn't heard about Hillary.
Sir Ed was a very modest man, you only ever heard from him when he was fund raising for a project or, recently, anniversaries of various events. He was never a publicity seeker for the sake of publicity, or to gratify his own ego.
Via money Europe could become political in five years" "... the current communities should be completed by a Finance Common Market which would lead us to European economic unity. Only then would ... the mutual commitments make it fairly easy to produce the political union which is the goal"
The Gentleman from Texas abstains. Discourteously.
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Stuart Mackey wrote:
Sir Ed was a very modest man, you only ever heard from him when he was fund raising for a project or, recently, anniversaries of various events. He was never a publicity seeker for the sake of publicity, or to gratify his own ego.
He certainly was modest. In more than fifty years he never disclosed who had summited first, even if Tenzing eventually admitted Hillary had done so.
"Well George, we finally knocked the bastard off."
Commander of the MFS Darwinian Selection Method (sexual)
