hillary.jpg

Sir Edmund Hillary died today. A self effacing bee-keeper, he was best known for a walk he took with his friend Tensing Norgay. But thats not what he wanted to be remembered for – nor for the time he drove his tractor to the South Pole. What he wanted to be remembered for was the humanitarian work he did. Setting up a trust fund for Nepali Sherpas helping them build schools and assisting them in their “retirement”.

The things Hillary accomplished were deemed impossible by the world he lived in. And yet what he was most proud of was something within the reach of us all. He said
“You don’t have to be a fantastic hero to do certain things – to compete. You can be just an ordinary chap, sufficiently motivated.”

He was an amazing man and I’m ashamed to say it’s taken his death to bring him to my attention. A stop in the library is on the agenda for tomorrow.