EVEREST HERO DEAD AT 88

EVEREST HERO DEAD AT 88

SIR EDMUND HILLARY, the New Zealand adventurer who became the first man to conquer Mount Everest, has died of a heart attack in Auckland City. The humble former beekeeper, who sparked the globe's interest in mountaineering by reaching the world's tallest peak with Nepalese Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay in 1953. New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark announced the sad news to the world on Friday (11Jan08). Hillary also led expeditions to the South Pole and other peaks in the Himalayas. He also led a search for the mythical Yeti (abominable snowman) and the source of India's River Ganges.