Started today with tragic news from Nepal. Our friend Lakpa Thundu Sherpa lost his life guiding on Ama Dablam when a 5.4 earthquake stuck as the team was pushing for the summit. The earthquake triggered an avalanche and Thundu was struck in the head with falling ice.
Jennifer and I spent the better part of April 2015 with Thundu trekking in the Khumbu Valley and climbing a couple of peaks. His skill in the mountains earned our implicit trust very quickly and his kindness and thougtfulness left a permanent impression. I'm proud that he called me his friend and I the same. Since our time together in 2015, we've kept in touch via with regular Facebook direct messages, where he'd always start by asking, "Jennifer/John how are you?". Sometimes we'd chat a bit about goings on in our lives. Other times, we did little more than exchange these basic pleasantries or recent photos, but we were always touched by his consistent outreach that let us know we were in his thoughts.
After learning of his passing this morning, I turned on my PC and this was my desktop background from my rotating set of photos. Thundu on the left and me in the center wearing the jacket that Thundu borrowed for me from a friend in his home village of Pangboche.
Thundu, you were a special person who made the world a better place. Whenever Jennifer and I talked about returning to Nepal, teaming up with you for some more adventures always came up. We will miss you, my friend.
If you would like to help (no amount is too small) Thundu's wife and two young sons in Kathmandu, you can by donating to the Juniper Fund. Their program provides relief funds to his family for five years after this accident as well as vocational training and business grants to widows to get them back on their feet. The Juniper Fund works on the ground with these families.
After learning of his passing this morning, I turned on my PC and this was my desktop background from my rotating set of photos. Thundu on the left and me in the center wearing the jacket that Thundu borrowed for me from a friend in his home village of Pangboche.
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| Summit of Lobuche East - Thundu on left |
If you would like to help (no amount is too small) Thundu's wife and two young sons in Kathmandu, you can by donating to the Juniper Fund. Their program provides relief funds to his family for five years after this accident as well as vocational training and business grants to widows to get them back on their feet. The Juniper Fund works on the ground with these families.
Place the name "Lakpa Thundu Sherpa" in the reference field of the donation page to indicate your donation is directed to this accident and family.
Use the link below or use donate button on the Juniper Fund's Facebook page.
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| Thundu, Bandi and the boys, Sajan (14) and Dorji (8) |
http://www.thejuniperfund.org/donate/
https://www.facebook.com/thejuniperfund/
- Thank you -
https://www.facebook.com/thejuniperfund/
- Thank you -
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