Zeenews Bureau
Wellington, Jan 11: Mountaineering legend, Sir Edmund Hillary, who conquered the enormous Mount Everest along with Tenzing Norgay Sherpa died on Friday of a heart attack at the age of 88. He was the first conqueror of the peak.
Hillary scaled the world`s highest mountain in 1953. He was New Zealand`s best-known son and his picture also adorns the country`s five-dollar note.
A heroic figure, who not only scaled the Everest, but also lived a life of determination, humility, and generosity.
After Everest, Hillary led a number of expeditions to the South Pole and the Himalayas, and devoted his time to helping Nepal`s Sherpa people who live in the shadow of Everest.
Hillary was also a philanthropist. His trust, the Himalaya Trust raises about USD 250,000 a year and he personally helped build schools, hospitals, bridges, pipelines and even an airfield for the Sherpas.
The legacy of Sir Edmund Hillary will live on. His exploits continue to inspire new generations of the world, as they have for more than half a century already.
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