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Series Code: TIJ
Program Code: TIJ006124S
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00:24 It's over 70 years since one of the most amazing
00:28 achievements on earth occurred, it's an accomplishment 00:31 that is spoken of remembered and for many is often given 00:37 as a gauge of success. 00:38 And so, it's no surprise that the name of this one man 00:42 is carved indelibly in history. 00:46 In fact in his home country he is considered a hero 00:50 and is being voted the most admired person in the nation. 00:53 He even has a commemorative five stamp series 00:57 to honor his status and achievements. 00:59 In fact, he's the best known New Zealander in all the world. 01:04 But it's not just his achievement as a mountaineer 01:09 the conqueror of Mt. Everest, the first man with 01:13 Tenzing Norgay to climb to the top of the highest mountain 01:16 in the world that he is honored for. 01:19 It's because Edmund Hillary showed us how an ordinary 01:23 life can become a truly extraordinary one. 01:27 He has shown us that greatness is possible as he said in his 01:32 1975 autobiography... 01:42 So, join me, Gary Kent on an Incredible Journey 01:47 as we follow in the footsteps of Edmund Hillary the legendary 01:51 mountaineer who rose from humble beginnings 01:54 to reach the lofty heights of success 01:57 and in a sense lifted the world with him. 02:00 Edmund Hillary a man who inspired a nation and the world. 02:20 Edmund Percival Hillary was born in Remuera, Auckland 02:25 on the 20th of July 1919 he was the son of Percival and 02:30 Gertrude Hillary. His mother was a teacher and his father 02:35 published a newspaper The North Auckland Times. 02:38 The Hillary family moved to Tuakau 70 km south of Auckland 02:44 here on the banks of the Waikato River in 1920. 02:48 Percival who had served at Gallipoli during the I World War 02:53 was allocated a return serviceman's land allocation. 02:57 Percy also used the Veteran's Assistance to train as a 03:02 beekeeper and established a weekly newspaper 03:05 The Tuakau District News. 03:08 Edmund remembers that his early years in Tuakau were happy ones 03:13 as he roamed through the fields and along the banks of the 03:16 Waikato River near his home. The local Tuakau Primary School 03:21 was one kilometer from the Hillary home and Edmund 03:24 used to walk bare feet to school each day whether 03:28 it was raining, sunny, or frosty. 03:31 Edmund's mother was determined that he would get a good 03:35 secondary education and so at 13 he was enrolled at Auckland 03:40 Grammar School even though it meant long 12-hour days for him. 03:44 He had to travel the 2 hour train journey to school 03:48 every morning and afternoon. 03:50 Coming from a small country school Edmund found the large 03:55 boys school in the big city a terrifying experience. 03:58 He felt lost and alone in his new environment and as he said, 04:03 often munched on his sandwiches in solitary fashion. 04:07 But worse was to come, in the first week of high school 04:11 a physical education teacher looked at his small and 04:15 scrawny physique, rolled his eyes and muttered 04:18 "What will they send me next? 04:21 Edmund felt humiliated and said he developed a feeling 04:26 of inferiority but the gangly teenager did grow to a height 04:31 2 meters or 6'5" tall. He grew an incredible 22 cm 04:37 or 9" in one year and even though his daily commute 04:42 didn't allow him to participate in after-school sports, 04:46 he found another way to stay fit and active. 04:50 When the train is traveling slowly Edmund would 04:54 run alongside the train and would leap on at the last moment 04:58 when it started to increase it's speed. 05:00 He soon became very fit and was able to excel in all 05:05 sports classes but his life would change forever 05:09 when he was 16 years old and in his last year at 05:13 Auckland Grammar. 05:14 He went on a school trip to Mount Ruapehu, 05:17 the mountain is actually a volcano with world-class 05:21 ski fields in winter. 05:22 Edmund was enchanted by the glistening snow, 05:26 the frozen streams and the vistas in this strange and 05:29 exciting new world. Edmund enjoyed 10 glorious days of 05:35 skiing and playing on the lower slopes of the mountain. 05:39 But this visit to Mount Ruapehu did spark his interest in 05:44 mountaineering. On completing school Edmund enrolled in 05:48 Auckland University to study mathematics and science 05:52 but found it hard to settle and make friends with the 05:56 with the students. 05:57 So after two years he dropped out to work full-time for the 06:01 family bee-keeping business with his father and 06:04 younger brother Rex. 06:06 He also joined a tramping club, now that's the New Zealand name 06:10 for hiking and spent his Sunday's walking in the 06:14 Waitakere's, a range of mountains just west of Auckland. 06:17 Edmund soon found that he had more physical energy than most 06:21 and reveled in driving himself to the limit. 06:26 Edmund became passionate about mountain climbing 06:30 and during his early 20's he traveled to the Southern Alps 06:33 of New Zealand twice a year. In February for rock climbing 06:38 and then again in September to improve his ice work. 06:41 In 1939 Hillary was thrilled to actually climb his first peak 06:47 Mount Olivia, a mountain of nearly 2,000 meters near 06:52 Mount Cook in the Southern Alps. 06:54 As his skill and confidence grew he conquered peak after peak 06:59 and particularly enjoyed discovering new 07:02 climbing tracks up the rugged mountain ranges. 07:05 Edmund was so keen to equip himself with the best advice 07:10 and training that he would save his pennies to pay for 07:13 the very best guides. He soon developed a reputation 07:17 as a skilled safe and cool-headed climber. 07:21 The World War II Japanese threat in the Pacific and the arrival 07:27 of conscription changed Edmund's earlier Pacifist inclinations. 07:31 Although his father had applied for him to be excused from 07:35 enlisting on the grounds that honey production was 07:38 an essential service, he finally allowed Edmund to join 07:42 the New Zealand Royal Air Force. 07:44 Edmund's initial training was in Marlborough in the 07:49 south island New Zealand, here Hillary would spend all of his 07:53 free time mountain climbing 07:55 His first solo ascent was at Mt. Tapuacruku at 2,885 meters, 08:02 it was the highest mountain outside of the well-known 08:06 Southern Alps. In the last year of the war Edmund 08:11 was serving as a flying-boat navigator near Figi and 08:15 the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean. 08:17 When he was severely burnt in a boating accident when a broken 08:21 petrol tank on a motorboat burst into flame Hillary 08:25 braced himself to leap over- board but the boat suddenly 08:29 hit a big wave and he was thrown backward onto the sizzling 08:33 engine cover. Even though he was in pain and badly burned 08:38 Hillary then had to swim 500 meters to shore 08:41 and walk another kilometer to get medical help. 08:45 The New Zealand Air Force sent a message to his parents warning 08:50 them that their son was critically ill and would be 08:53 discharged on sick leave. 08:55 They were told Hillary would need many months to recover 08:59 but three weeks later Hillary chose to convalesce in the 09:05 Southern Alps finding a friend and mentor in Harry Ayres 09:09 New Zealand's most outstanding climber at that time. 09:12 The years between 1946 and his first trip to the Himalayas 09:17 was spent conquering every notable peak in the 09:21 Southern Alps. 09:22 Now, the best-known peak here is Mount Cook renowned for its 09:27 panoramic Alpine beauty and remote wilderness 09:30 a rugged land of rock of ice. 09:33 1948 became a memorable year for Hillary when he made his 09:39 first ascent of Ayer Rocky, Mount Cook, 09:42 the highest mountain in New Zealand at 3,724 meters 09:47 or 12,218 feet. Then a year later in 1949 Edmund Hillary 09:55 along with Harry Ayres made the first descent up the 09:59 challenging south ridge of Mount Cook and completed the 10:03 Grand Traverse as well. 10:04 Hillary was now involved in serious mountain climbing 10:09 he had met George Lowe a fellow mountaineer while 10:13 climbing Mount Cook and two years later in 1951 10:17 Hillary and Lowe took part in a New Zealand expedition 10:21 to the gavel Himalaya where they climbed five peaks 10:25 over 6,000 meters or 20,000 feet high. 10:29 Then in 1952 Hillary and Lowe joined the 10-week British 10:35 Cho Oyu expedition, now Cho Oyu is 20 kilometers west of 10:41 Mount Everest and is the world's 6th highest mountain, 10:45 it's also considered the best practice mountain before 10:49 attempting the world's highest peak, Mount Everest. 10:52 Now Mount Everest is not just the highest mountain in the 10:56 world but to climb this formidable mountain is 11:01 considered the pinnacle of human achievement. 11:03 At 8,848 meters or 29,031 feet high, this mountain is usually 11:12 covered by hurricane-force winds and sub-freezing temperatures. 11:17 Back in 1953 Hillary and Lowe received the invitation that 11:22 they'd been hoping and dreaming for, they were invited to join 11:26 Colonel John Hunts 1953 British Everest Expedition. 11:32 It was the 9th British expedition to Mount Everest 11:36 and Hunt was given a special leave from the British Army 11:40 to organize a military-style expedition in the hope of 11:44 successfully reaching the summit of Mount Everest. 11:47 It was a massive undertaking with weeks of detailed planning 11:53 and intense training and preparation. 11:55 There were 350 porters, 20 Nepalese mountain guides 12:00 called Sherpers and tons of supplies to support the 12:05 chosen ten climbers. 12:07 The climb to Mount Everest takes many days, the trek to 12:12 Everest Base Camp is between 10 to 14 days and then it takes 12:16 another 39 to 40 days to reach the summit of Mount Everest. 12:21 Now, the reason it takes so long to summit Everest 12:25 is so that the human body can adjust to the extreme altitude, 12:30 the higher the altitude the less oxygen there is in the air 12:35 compared to sea level. 12:36 So climbers normally use bottled oxygen to help them withstand 12:42 the effects of the extreme high altitude. 12:45 From the ten climbers Colonel Hunt chose the two climbing 12:50 groups that would be given the opportunity to reach 12:53 the summit. The first group of Tom Boudillian and Charles Evans 12:58 came so close to being the first ones to reach the South Summit 13:03 on the 26th of May, 1953. 13:06 Though just less than 100 meters or around 300 feet away from 13:12 the top when unfortunately due to a malfunction of their 13:16 closed circuit bottled oxygen breathing apparatus 13:20 the pair had to reluctantly turn around and descend 13:24 without reaching the summit of Everest. 13:27 Then the second climbing group of Edmund Hillary and his 13:32 sherpa companion Tenzing Norgay were now directed to try 13:36 for the summit. 13:41 Snow and wind held the pair back at their base camp at South Col 13:46 for two days, the next morning on the 29th of May 1953 13:53 Edmund found that his boots had frozen solid outside the tent 13:57 it took two hours to warm them before he could put them on 14:01 and then set out for the summit. 14:04 The two climbers soon faced a nearly vertical rock face 14:09 of 12 meters or 40 feet, the last real challenge 14:13 before reaching the summit. Edmund found a narrow crack 14:18 in the rock and managed to wedge his way up 14:21 between the rock wall and ice. 14:24 Later this section of the mountain would be named 14:28 Hillary Stick. Tenzing then followed and climbed through 14:33 the gap and it was just a few more steps and they stood 14:37 on top of the mountain. 14:40 Tenzing and his 1955 autobiography wrote that 14:46 Hillary took the first step onto the summit and he followed. 14:50 They reached Everest's summit the highest point on earth 14:54 at 11:30 a.m. on the 29th of May, 1953. 14:59 They stayed only 15 minutes at the summit 15:03 Edmund Hillary took the famous photo of Tenzing posing 15:08 with his ice ax. He also left a cross up there he'd been given 15:13 by John Hunt and Tenzing left some offerings of food. 15:17 Hillary and Tenzing were the first men to stand on the roof 15:22 of the world on the top of Mount Everest. 15:25 The news of their achievement raced quickly around the world 15:31 the world's highest mountain had finally been conquered, 15:36 it was a pinnacle of human physical achievement and 15:40 endeavor. 15:42 The final frontier of earthly exploration had been reached. 15:46 There was a frenzied celebration throughout the 15:50 British Commonwealth as news reached London, 15:52 It arrived just in time for Queen Elizabeth the 2nd's 15:57 Coronation on the 2nd of June, 1953 and as one of her first 16:03 acts, the young queen awarded Hillary The Knight Commander 16:08 of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire 16:11 he was now Sir Edmund Hillary. 16:14 Hillary returned home to New Zealand in triumph 16:21 a celebrity and hero. Hillary married Louise Mary Rose 16:27 a few months later on the 3rd of September 1953. 16:32 Together they had three children, Peter, Sarah, and 16:36 Belinda but Edmund Hillary had experienced the taste of 16:42 adventure and the thrill of conquest and was soon involved 16:46 in another expedition. 16:47 He led the New Zealand component of the Commonwealth 16:51 Tran-Antarctica Expedition in 1957, and 1958 which was under 16:57 the overall command of the British explorer 17:00 Sir Vivian Fuchs. 17:02 Hillary set out from Scott base on the edge of the 17:06 Ross Ice Shelf driving a modified Ferguson Farm Tractors 17:10 they headed south to establish food and fuel depo's 17:14 for the British group which had left from the continent's 17:18 opposite coast. Hillary was rent to turn back to Scott Base 17:23 after laying the supplies. 17:25 But when the New Zealand Antarctic Committee 17:29 gave Hillary permission to carry on further than planned, 17:33 Fuchs welcomed Hillary's offer to scout a route through the 17:38 crevices and then lead to Hillary's last supply dump. 17:42 But instead of testing only part of the route Hillary 17:47 and against the instructions of the British Rough Sea Committee 17:51 forged on. 17:53 By the 4th of January 1958 Hillary's party became the 17:58 the first to reach the South Pole over land since 18:02 Robert Filkins Scott ill-fated journey in 1912. 18:06 In the decades after his Everest Ascent Hillary published 18:12 several best-selling accounts of his exploits and received 18:15 big fees for his product endorsements, 18:18 personal appearances, and lecture tours. 18:22 So, in 1964 with these funds Hillary created the 18:28 Himalayan Trust, he said... 18:38 over the next 30 years with the help of the donors and 18:43 volunteers from New Zealand and other countries 18:46 the Trust built more than a dozen schools, two airfields, 18:51 two hospitals, and several medical clinics. 18:54 These efforts became Hillary's greatest contribution 18:59 to the region he loved and helped earn Hillary the title 19:03 "Burra Sahib" meaning Big in Heart among the 19:08 Nepalese Sherpa people but it also led to the most 19:11 tragic event in his life. 19:13 On the 31st of March 1975, his wife Louise and younger daughter 19:20 Belinda were flying from Kathmandu to Phaphlu 19:24 where Edmund was helping to build a hospital in Nepal. 19:28 Sadly, the small plane crashed soon after take-off at 19:34 Kathmandu Airport with all lives lost. 19:38 The deaths of his wife and daughter were a shattering blow 19:43 to Hillary, then tragedy struck again in 1979 19:49 when Hillary's close friend Peter Mulgrew who had been 19:54 with him on the Commonwealth Tran-Antarctic Expedition 19:58 of 1957, 1958 was killed in the plane crash at 20:03 Mount Erebus in Antarctica when New Zealand flight TE901 20:09 crashed into Mount Erebus killing all 257 passengers 20:14 and crew. 20:15 Edmund Hillary received many awards for his outstanding 20:24 achievements. In 1987, he was among the first 20 people 20:29 selected as members of the Order of New Zealand 20:32 his home country's highest honor. 20:35 The same year, Hillary was honored to be the only 20:40 living person to feature on a New Zealand Bank Note. 20:43 Sir Edmund Hillary died in Auckland on the 20:49 11th of January, 2008 aged 88, he was honored by a funeral 20:55 on the 22nd of January, the same year and then on the 20:59 29th of February his ashes were scattered on Hauraki Gulf 21:04 by his wife, Lady Hillary and children Peter and Sarah. 21:08 On the 2nd of April the same year Queen Elizabeth II 21:13 hosted a special memorial service for Hillary 21:17 at Windsor Castle near London. 21:20 Edmund Hillary had stood on the roof of the world 21:24 and both the North and South Poles as well, not bad for a 21:29 New Zealand beekeeper. 21:31 In addition to his remarkable achievements as a mountaineer, 21:37 adventurer, diplomatic philanthropist, 21:40 and the most well-known New Zealander in the world 21:43 Edmund Hillary is also remembered for his humility 21:48 and generosity and in particular his humanitarian contribution 21:53 to the Sherpa people of the Himalayas. 21:55 You see, the higher he climbed, the further he could see, 21:59 he could see the needs of those less fortunate than himself 22:04 and determined to make a difference. 22:07 He turned success into significance. 22:11 Hillary credited his achievements to a combination 22:16 of his Christian beliefs, positive attitude, grit and 22:19 determination, health and fitness. 22:22 He believed it was the secret to his life of purpose, 22:26 a life that went beyond the mediocre to new heights 22:30 to a successful life. His own assessment of his life of 22:35 adventure on his 85th birthday was typically modest 22:39 when he said. 22:44 Christianity and a faith in God gives us meaning and 22:48 purpose in life, it brings peace, happiness, and hope 22:52 it also helps us cope with the challenges, tragedies, and 22:56 disappointments in life, this was the foundation 23:00 that brought Hillary success in his life and it can do the same 23:04 for us today. 23:06 It's the kind of strength that God loves and gives us, 23:10 you see, you don't have to necessarily be athletic 23:14 nor do you have to be naturally strong because God has 23:18 promised 23:26 A faith in God means knowing about God, have a relationship 23:31 with Him and accepting all He has to offer us. 23:35 He wants to see us succeed and wants to bring meaning and 23:40 purpose to our lives. 23:49 Before you were born God knew what your life had in store 23:53 for you, both here on earth and forever and eternity 23:57 commit your life to Him and He will guide you and teach you 24:02 to live out our true purpose in life, He will teach you to 24:06 recognize and know your true self and most importantly 24:10 your creator in order to live your life to the fullest. 24:15 You see, unlocking your true purpose will reduce your stress, 24:20 simplify your decisions, increase your satisfaction, 24:23 and most importantly, prepare you for eternity. 24:28 Sadly most people don't know what confess really is, 24:34 some people think it means you make a lot of money, 24:38 but you can make a ton of money and be an absolute failure. 24:43 Some people think it means being famous but you can be famous 24:48 and totally miss the point of life. 24:51 So, what is real success? 24:55 Well the Bible says real success is being who God made you to be. 25:02 It means you are not trying to be someone else 25:05 or what someone else wanted you to be. 25:08 You'll only find real success when you spend your life 25:13 as the person God created you to be. 25:16 Here's what the Bible says... 25:32 God came to earth in human form 2,000 years ago 25:36 so you could be made complete in Christ, 25:40 that means you have everything you need through Jesus' 25:44 authority and power. 25:45 You lack nothing to be a success in life 25:49 because success is being you. 25:53 In other words, being successful in life means you are being 25:57 yourself, the person God made you to be. 26:00 Don't get hung up on what other people think about you, 26:05 instead, focus on the one who matters most, God. 26:11 God shaped you and equipped you and in Christ has given you 26:17 everything you need to be successful. 26:19 Would you like to get to achieve more in life? 26:23 If you'd like to find true meaning and purpose in your life 26:28 then I'd like to suggest that the best place to start 26:31 is to have a genuine relationship with Jesus. 26:35 You're made complete through your union with Christ, 26:39 get close to Him through Bible study and prayer. 26:43 If you'd like to find out more about how you can do this, 26:48 then I'd like to recommend a free gift we have for you today. 26:52 It's the booklet Finding Meaning and Purpose in Life 26:56 this booklet is our gift to you and is absolutely free 27:00 I guarantee there are no costs or obligations whatsoever. 27:05 So, make the most of this wonderful opportunity to receive 27:10 your free gift today. 27:11 Phone or text 0436.333.555 in Australia, or 020.422.2042 27:23 in New Zealand, or 770.800.0266 in United States or 27:31 visit our website TIJ.tv or simply scan the QR Code 27:36 on your screen and we'll send you today's free offer 27:39 totally free of charge and with no obligations. 27:42 You can also write to us at the addresses on your screen 27:46 or email us at info@tij.tv, don't delay call or text us now. 27:54 Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you for the inspiring 27:59 life of Edmund Hillary and the example he provides 28:03 in finding meaning and purpose in life. 28:06 May we always put our faith and trust in you, our God, 28:10 creator, and redeemer. Please bless us and our families 28:15 we pray in Jesus' name. Amen! |
Revised 2024-05-06