In December of 1989; I managed to get an interview with Sir Edmund Hillary. Robin and I drove from Auckland, New Zealand to his cabin in the country. He was an imposing looking guy, but hospitable and very nice to talk with.

Getting an interview with him was huge because in New Zealand, he was an icon, absolutely beloved. There’s no comparable hero in America. I wish there was. He conquered Mount Everest and the South Pole, and captured the world’s imagination. Yet where others would have been content to admire the view, look down and bask in the sheer individuality of achievement, for Hillary it was only the beginning of a lifetime of service to others. The Nepalese called him “Baurra-sahib,” meaning ‘big in stature, big in heart.’  Hillary passed away January 11, 2008 at 88.