Introduction

Sir Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), a New Zealand-born explorer, mountain climber, and philanthropist, is best known for being the first confirmed person to reach the summit of Mt Everest in 1953. Hillary sought out new areas of exploration and challenges, and also devoted a great deal of his efforts to building schools, hospitals, and other facilities for the Sherpa people of Nepal. He was known for believing all people are capable of great things. In fact, he is known for saying, “I have discovered that even the mediocre can have adventures and even the fearful can achieve.”