KATHMANDU, Nepal, May 22, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — A climber from Sandy died while descending from the summit of Mount Everest on Wednesday, according to The Himalayan Times.
Donald Lynn Cash passed away a few meters below the Hillary Step while returning from the summit point, according to the article.
The 55-year-old climber was a part of a 15-member expedition led by Chinese climber Yuan Li, base camp officials said.
Officials added that Cash fell or collapsed at the top of the summit early Wednesday morning, and was brought by his climbing guides to below the Hillary Step, where he passed away. The Hillary Step is a nearly vertical rock face located approximately 8,790 meters above sea level, near the summit of Everest, according to Wikipedia.
“We came to know about his death only after Lakpa Norbu descended to the Camp IV late in the evening,” Pasang Tenje Sherpa, Chairman at Pioneer Adventure Pvt. Ltd. told the newspaper. “Climbing Sherpas, however, tried to save his life offering their oxygen to Donald on the descent.” Lakpa Norbu Sherpa along with Pas Tenji Sherpa were Cash’s guides to the summit.
Cash’s Facebook page describes him as: “a kick ass sales executive, husband, father and grandpa.” Cash was a mountaineer for Seven Summits Sabbatical, his page said, and he studied marketing and Chinese at the University of Utah. He grew up in Ohio.
As the news of Cash’s death became known Wednesday afternoon, numerous people posted tributes on his Facebook page.
The tributes include:
- You will be missed Don. Prayers to your family. Many people including myself have learned from your passion for life and all that goes with it!
- Don Cash was my idol. Everything he did he did with gusto all while treating the people around him wonderfully. The world needs more Dons…
- We’ll miss you Don. You really were literally one in a million.
- Don you made it to the top of the world! God speed my friend! Thoughts and prayers to the family!
- May the journey into his next life be one of joy, happiness and freedom from suffering. The climbing community is saddened by this loss. Prayers and blessings to Don’s family. Namaste.
Funeral arrangements for Cash have not yet been announced. Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.
Condolences to the family of Don Cash. He had a dream and he went after it. May the God of all comfort be with his family at this time. (2 Corinthians 1: 3 & 4)