80-Year-Old Everest Climber Hopes To Conquer Mountain Following Heart Surgery

80-Year-Old Heart Surgery Survivor Attempts Everest Climb

Yurichiro Miura of Japan has successfully faced open heart surgery four times, so he feels that his upcoming attempt to climb the highest mountain on the planet, Everest, will be met with equal success.

The 80-year old mountain climber has already reached Everett’s summit twice before, in 2003 and again five years later.

A climber from Napal who scaled the mountain in 2008 at the age of 76 currently holds the world’s record as the oldest climber to reach Everett’s summit, a title that Miura hopes to claim with his latest attempt this spring.

But Miura modestly claims that the joy is not in breaking any records but in the simple act of being able to reach the top of the world’s tallest mountain, located almost 30,000 feet above sea level.

“The record is not so important for me,” said Miura, speaking to Reuters from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, just before leaving to begin the attempt, adding ”It is important to get to the top.”

Muira is already on his way to reaching his goal, having begun his journey with nine other climbers, including a heart specialist who will offer medical assistance to the heart surgery patient if necessary along the way.

Muira and his team expect to reach Everett’s summit sometime in May. If Muira achieves his goal, he will join several other climbers who have set records on Everest, including a woman who reached the top twice in the same week.

“If you wish strongly, have courage and endurance, then you can get to the summit of your dream,” said Miura.

“Maybe, when I become 85 years old, and if I stay alive, I want to climb and ski down Cho Oyu,” Miura said. “It is my next dream.”

Approximately 4,000 climbers have been to the top of Everest and about 240 people have died on its slopes.

On The Web:

80-Year-Old Heart Surgery Survivor Aims for Everest Climbing Record
http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/04/02/80-year-old-heart-surgery-survivor-aims-for-everest-climbing-record/

Heart patient, 80, to climb Mount Everest for third time
http://gulfnews.com/news/world/heart-patient-80-to-climb-mount-everest-for-third-time-1.1165217

70-year-old claims Everest record
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3049603.stm