Press Coverage :: CHO OYU 2006~EVEREST 2004: Friendship Beyond Borders Expeditions

Press Coverage

Interesting Facts about this Expedition

More information about efforts in China and Asia to help amputees and other disabled people

Press from May 2006

Scripps Howard News Service
Climber ready to tackle Tibetan peak (April 9, 2006)
Climbing alongside Tom McMillan will be amputee Nawang Sherpa, who plans to ascend Cho Oyu--the world's sixth-highest peak--with a prosthetic leg.

People's Daily Online, China
Disabled Nepali plans to scale Mt. Cho-oyu (April 6, 2006)
Nawang Sherpa, a disabled Nepali, has announced his plan to scale the 8,200 meters high Mount Cho-oyu, state-run Radio Nepal reported Wednesday. "Sherpa, 35, announced his plan at a function organized to bid farewell to him by Mt. Qomolangma Summiteers Association, a non-government organization," the radio said.

The Rising Nepal
Disabled Nawang plans to scale Mt. Cho-oyu (April 4, 2006)
The Everest Summiteers Association (ESA) held a programme Tuesday to bid farewell to Nawang Sherpa who has announced his plan to scale the 8,200 meter high Mt Cho-oyu. To encourage and support Sherpa, all the ESA members, State Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yankila Sherpa, his family and friends were present at the function.

Press from March 2006
The San Francisco Chronicle
Climber takes aim at Tibetan peak / McMillan is an Everest vet
(March 30, 2006)
Nawang Sherpa became the first person with a prosthetic leg to ascend Mount Everest.

University of California San Francisco Today
Amputee to Climb World’s Sixth-Highest Peak (March 5, 2006)
In 2004, former UCSF patient Nawang Sherpa became the first man to climb Mount Everest with a prosthetic leg. Now, with his friend and fellow mountaineer Tom McMillan, Sherpa plans to climb the Tibetan side of Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest peak on Earth, acording to the San Francisco Chronicle. Read story here. print Print story email E-mail story UCSF Today interviewed Sherpa and McMillan when the came to the academic medical center in March 2005. See that story and video here.

8,000 meter World
Cho Oyu Update (February 2, 2006)

Press from January 2006
Explorers Web
ExplorersWeb Week in Review (January 14, 2006)

UCSF/SFGH Orthopaedic Trauma Center—Outreach: Worldwide Community ...UCSF Today
UCSF Prosthetic Patient Summits Mount Everest (April 8, 2005)

Press from December 2004
News Flash ExplorersWeb.com gives special recognition to Nawang Sherpa and Friendship Beyond Borders Expedition in "Best of 2004" -- Expeditions that have contributed in an extraordinary way to the Spirit of Adventure in the year of 2004. Full story...
ExplorersWeb.com and MountEverest.net
Best of ExplorersWeb 2004 Awards (December 23, 2004)

Gentlemens' Quarterly -- GQ Magazine
The Bionic Mountaineer (December 2004 issue)

Press articles from November 2004
Budgeteer News
Hommer's legacy lives in foundation (November 5, 2004)

Press from January 2004
Alaska Magazine
Fallen Climber Leaves Legs to Talkeetna Bar Article about Tom Halvorson returning Ed Hommer's prosthetic legs to Talkeetna, Alaska as was his wish (January 2004)

If you would like Nawang or Tom to speak at your school, corporation, club, university, medical facility, or special event in your area, please contact us.

When in the US, Nawang works to raise awareness of what disabled athletes can accomplish by speaking at events, visiting hospitals, Veterans' Administration and other facilities that serve amputees, and promoting the mission of our Friendship Beyond Borders expedition.

Video footage of Friendship Beyond Borders team in action
during their successful Everest summit bid

Our CHO OYU Spring 2006: Friendship Beyond Borders Expedition is a team of
FRIENDS, BEYOND BORDERS OF CULTURES & NATIONALITIES

Friends in Nepal...
Climbing Members: Tom McMillan, Nawang Sherpa, George Patterson, Pete Lardy
Cllmbing Sherpas: Nima Gombu Sherpa (now 10 times Everest summiter); Ang Dawa Sherpa, younger brother of Nawang Sherpa
Base Camp Manager/ Public Relations Manager, Linda McMillan

Friends back in the US...
Nawang's friend Steve Sheridan of Vail, Colorado set things in motion in 2000 when he arranged for Nawang to receive his first prosthetic leg from Walter Racette at UC San Francisco. Nawang's childhood friend Jangbu Sherpa of Colorado Springs has been instrumental in focusing media attention and sponsors to his efforts.
Another team of friends from THE HIGH EXPOSURE FOUNDATION rallied together to enable Nawang to walk and climb to the summit--Ed Hommer, Tom Halvorson and others from the Minnesota-based organization Learn more about the history of the High Exposure Foundation, and how the late Ed Hommer inspired people with disabilities to pursue their dreams, from a member of the HEF Board of Directors, Ms. Brandy Meadows.

2004: Our very successful EVEREST: Friendship Beyond Borders Expedition Team

Nawang talking to reporters in Kathmandu after his
return from the summit of Mount Everest, May 2004

Background Information about Ed Hommer
The late Ed Hommer was the first double amputee to reach the summit of Mt. McKinley in June 1999, and he made an attempt on Mt. Everest (from Tibet) in 2001. He met Nawang Sherpa in Kathmandu on his return from Everest, and had intended to make another attempt in 2003 with Nawang, But Ed was tragically killed by rockfall on Mt. Rainier in September of 2002.

But THE HIGH EXPOSURE FOUNDATION, which he created, lives on. Nawang Sherpa's success on Mt. Everest is a testament to the success of the Foundation.

Ed Hommer posing with his friends (left to right) Tom Halvorson, Kelly Raymond (who climbed Denali with Ed in 1999), and Jim Wickwire (who attempted to climb Mt. Everest with Ed in 2001).