Sir Edmund Hillary, first atop Everest, dies

Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to stand atop the world's highest mountain, was remembered Friday as a deeply driven but unassuming man who strived to help the people of Nepal in the decades after his ascent of Mount Everest.

Hillary, who died of a heart attack at 88, will have a state funeral in New Zealand, where he began the mountaineering career that took him and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay to the tallest point on earth, a spokesman for his family said.

He is survived by his children Peter and Sarah and wife June, who said Friday that her family was comforted by the messages of support from around the world.

She said Hillary had been hospitalized on Monday and died peacefully.

"He remained in good spirits until the end," she said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080111...und_hillary;_ylt=AozyFbmLTe7pjzO79D8D1EOs0NUE

Yes, a great explorer indeed--All of the flags in New Zealand are flying at half-mast this morning--Speaking of New Zealand, SUNRISE EARTH show is on the High Definition Theater Discovery Channel right now--Showing Sunrise in New Zealand's Southern Mountains--Absolutely breathtaking, rarely is anything more beautiful than the morning orange sunlight on snow-capped mountains on this High Definition Channel