Sir Edmund Hillary dies

Kiwi icon in good spirits till the end

Fairfax Media

Sir Edmund Hillary, whose feat of becoming the first man to climb Mt Everest made him New Zealand's greatest hero, has died aged 88.
See tomorrow's edition of The Dominion Post for special coverage of Sir Edmund's life and legacy
View video: Sir Edmund Hillary passes away
View video: Cullen speaks about Sir Ed's passing
Audio: Listen to Sir Edmund

In a message to the nation, his widow Lady June Hillary said Sir Edmund was in good spirits till he died this morning.

Sir Edmund died from a heart attack in Auckland Hospital.

"Sir Ed died peacefully this morning at 9am, his heart gave out," Lady Hillary said in a message read by a family spokesman.

"He had been in good form and was looking forward to coming home and had remained in good spirits till the end.

"The family are honoured to accept the Government's offer of a state funeral, recognising the impact he had on all New Zealanders."

The family spokesman, Mark Sainsbury, said the family was comforted by messages of support from around the country and around the world.

"His good friends the Sherpa people have called June and are organising their own memorial service in Nepal. The date for the funeral has yet to be set and will probably be done over the weekend as many relatives are overseas."

Prime Minister Helen Clark said his passing was 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.

A family member told Fairfax Media Sir Edmund was to have left the hospital today.

Speaking from the family home in Auckland, Lady June Hillary's daughter said Sir Edmund had taken a turn for the worse last night.

She said Lady Hillary was now at home with the family gathering around her.

The family was still coming to terms with his death, she said.

An Auckland Hospital spokesperson said this afternoon Sir Edmund had been unwell for some time and died this morning because of a heart attack.

The late Sir Edmund Hillary's family have accepted the government's offer of a State Funeral, a family spokesman said a short time ago.

Details of when and where are yet to be announced.

The Sherpa community in Nepal has also been on contact with the family to advise that a memorial service will be held in the Himalayas as well.

Among the first to visit the family home in Auckland was cartoonist Tom Scott.

"We will never see the likes of Sir Edmund Hillary again. He was a great human."

Mr Scott said Sir Edmund was a dear friend.

"It's a sad day for his family and a sad day for New Zealand," he said.

"I can't say too much more or I'll probably burst into tears."

Sir Edmund had done too many things in his life to sum up in just a few words, Mr Scott said.

"He was a wonderful human being... he was an extraordinary man."

Mr Scott said he had just completed a documentary on Sir Edmund's contribution in Nepal.

"The range and extent of what he did over a long period of time, in education and health and building bridges, water supplies and airports and things, is absolutely staggering.

"One man, virtually as a solo operator, brought huge changes to one part of the world."

The New Zealand flag will be flown at half-mast on all Government and public buildings from today until midnight Saturday to mark Sir Ed's death. Flags will also be flown at half-mast on the day of his funeral, the date of which is to be confirmed.

"Sir Ed described himself as an average New Zealander with modest abilities," Miss Clark said.

"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," Miss Clark said.

National Party leader John Key said Sir Edmund Hillary was a New Zealand hero.

"Sir Edmund was a role model for all New Zealanders. His legendary story as both a humanitarian and adventurer has been, and will continue to be, inspirational to generations," Mr Key said.

Veteran politician and Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton said what made Sir Edmund a great New Zealander was "his refusal to rest on his laurels as he might easily have done".

"Instead, he saw a need on the part of the sherpa mountain people of Nepal and devoted his long life to doing something practical about it."

Mr Anderton said that in doing that, he not only caught the spirit of what is the best in the New Zealand national character, he underlined it in his own modest response at the time to climbing the world's highest mountain.

Asked for his personal reaction to his achievement, Hillary said "We knocked the bastard off" when he might very reasonably have claimed the credit for himself and  turned that into a career.

"All his life Ed knew that things got achieved by everybody pulling together as  a community. It's his profiling of that in his own life that makes him a great New Zealander among his own people."

Maori Party co-leader Dr Pita Sharples said Sir Edmund inspired respect through his "consistent kindness and humility".

"When we think of Sir Ed, we have the utmost respect for someone who truly represents the categories of hero, leader, champion - our own homegrown superman," Dr Sharples said.

"He has made a huge imprint on the national psyche - setting his sights on the highest mountain and fully preparing to meet every challenge to achieve his dream."

Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard said Sir Edmund Hillary was the only living New Zealander to have been featured on a banknote.

"We will all feel the loss of a truly remarkable man whose achievements and humility have inspired New Zealanders for so long. We offer our condolences to Lady Hillary, Peter Hillary and their families."

New Zealand's cricket team will wear black arm bands and observe a minute's silence along with the crowd before play starts on day one of the second test against Bangladesh at the Basin Reserve in Wellington tomorrow.

- with NZPA.