Last Thursday (July 30th), an avalanche on Broad Peak (8,047 m), located in the Karakoram mountain range on the border between Pakistan and China, swept away 10 mountaineers, including 6 Sherpas. It is important to understand that these Sherpas were not simply “porters,” but highly skilled and experienced mountaineers who accompanied teams on this mountain, one of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres.

Those who know me understand my passion for the mountains, but also my deep love for Nepal and the Sherpa people. Whenever a tragedy of this magnitude occurs, I think back to my own Everest experience and to the immense admiration I developed for these extraordinary individuals. I consider them among the most generous, humble, and kind-hearted people I have ever had the privilege of meeting.

Among the victims was Nirmal “Nims” Purja, a legendary figure in modern mountaineering and the holder of the record for the fastest completion of the 14 peaks above 8,000 metres. Like my Sherpa Dawa (Danuru), with whom I shared two months on the mountain, he dedicated his experience and skills to helping those who dreamed of pushing their limits by climbing the highest peaks of the Himalayan range. Like Dawa, the safety of his clients was always his absolute priority, sometimes even above his own safety.

Few professions demand such a level of commitment while facing such constant danger. We often think of firefighters and pilots battling wildfires to protect our communities, but we should also remember the rescuers who face storms, the mountain guides who respond to emergencies in the wilderness, and all those who move toward danger in order to protect others.

Sherpas accept putting their own lives at risk to support and safeguard climbers. Their workplace is not a city in crisis or a raging sea; it is the mountain — an environment where nature sets its own rules and where every decision can become a matter of life or death.

And yet, season after season, they return to these mountains with remarkable humility. Their profession is also their passion, but above all, it is a way to support their families and communities.

Let us remember all those who lost their lives in this avalanche, and especially those who continue to work behind the scenes, helping us achieve our dreams while watching over our safety.

Om Mani Padme Hum.

May their souls find peace, and may their compassion continue to guide all those who walk among the mountains. May they have a peaceful transition into their next existence.