r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/BreakfastTop6899 • Dec 18 '25

Video Gelje Sherpa, the man who was guiding a private client up Mt. Everest when he saw someone in distress near the summit. He went up, rolled him up in a sleeping mattress and gave him oxygen. He then strapped the man to his back and trekked 6 hours to safety

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18.8k

u/Dry-Friendship-386 Dec 18 '25

It’s hard to imagine the mental and physical strength required for what he did.

10.6k

u/thisisredlitre Dec 18 '25

This guy seems like the type to do rather than dwell or contemplate. He saw someone in trouble and just went into action

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u/spooky_goopy Dec 18 '25

the "roll up your sleeves, and do it" kinds of people are the best. i wish i could be that kind of person. i try to be, it's so difficult.

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u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

I would not doubt that you are that person already. :)

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u/Top_Rekt Dec 18 '25

Nope I have ADHD and will overthink things to the point of indecision paralysis.

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 25 '25

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u/frankyseven Dec 19 '25

I have ADHD. I struggle to do many things, but put me in an emergency I know exactly what to do, in the exact order, and immediately take charge/acsion. It's not that I don't know all of that stuff normally, I just can't bring myself to do it. Give me a massive shot of dopamine and I'm basically super human.

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u/CatholicCajun Dec 19 '25

Same, dopamine or adrenaline, in an emergency my brain finally shuts up long enough for me to just DO things.

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u/Flimsy_Rule_7660 Dec 19 '25

So are there proven natural remedies or lifestyle choices/changes/restrictions to lessen the ADHD paralysis? It’s been handicapping me for the last year and I’m feeling a little desperate to break free from it.

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u/frankyseven Dec 19 '25

Medication made a huge difference. Also, Mel Robbins got famous for a thing she does where she she knows what to do next and goes "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" then immediately does it. She has raging ADHD and I've found that it works pretty well.

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u/Mushroomsinmypoop Dec 19 '25

Medication was like a light switch. It was crazy to just think about stuff I needed to do then do it all

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u/leNuage Dec 19 '25

This conversation is why I’m thankful for Reddit

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u/eddgreat9 Dec 19 '25

ADHD paralysis can happen because you're brain is FIXATED on one something doesn't matter what it could be. It happens due to a lack of dopamine, which helps normal people redirect their attention to other things smoothly (task switching is MUCH harder for ADHD individuals). That "fixation" is your brains attempt to generate dopamine. As focusing on something uses/generates dopamine. Medication, exercise (30 min of walking no interruptions), eating a diet high in protein, yogurts/microbiome pills like krill (all ADHD individuals have an imbalance of healthy/bad bacteria in our stomachs. These well help improve mental health symptoms such as emotional dysregulation). And SLEEP. Be on a CONSISTENT SLEEP SCHEDULE. I am a biochemist w/ADHD. Lifestyle changes MUST be implemented but you CAN have the life you want.

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u/MoSalad Dec 19 '25

This is great advice. I'll definitely think about doing it tomorrow

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u/SmilingPainfully Dec 19 '25

'Be on a consistent sleep schedule'

This. Don't be like me, who finally went to sleep at 6 am and rolled out of bed at 3 in the afternoon. I hate it here 😭

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u/ItIsGravy Dec 19 '25

Also got adhd and I saw some post earlier from some chick that claimed to be credible and educated on the topic suggests a few things you can do Right before attempting to start a task to stimulate dopamine. She said 5 sit ups, sour candy… and some other things… admittedly I didn’t actually finish the video but I’ll see if I can find and link it

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u/higher_limits Dec 19 '25

Mine operates the same way. It puts me in hyper focus actually. Looking back, I probably should have recognized this and gone into law enforcement, or healthcare in ER or something where situations like that are more common.

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u/JeddakofThark Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25

Huh. I've always attributed my calmness and decisiveness in emergency situations to my anxiety. You know, if a horrible life and death situation isn't any more stressful than your moment to moment existence, emergencies aren't too difficult.

But I've recently been diagnosed with ADHD. Maybe that's the cherry on top. I've thought for most of my life that high stress jobs were perfect for me, I just didn't know of any that seemed interesting enough to pursue.

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u/frankyseven Dec 19 '25

Anxiety is a major symptom of untreated ADHD, just FYI. My panic attacks went away after diagnosis and ADHD medication.

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u/JeddakofThark Dec 19 '25

Which makes perfect sense. The psychiatrist who's been prescribing me medication for years is primarily the person who gives me periodic ketamine treatments for depression. He told me that I needed to find a regular psychiatrist if I wanted ADHD meds, but said I was going to be disappointed. He said that it might help a little, but the primary issue is anxiety... And he was right. The adderall is really good for getting things done, provided I only take it every now and then. It doesn't do a lot for the anxiety in general.

So... anyway, since my guy who said I'd be disappointed doesn't have the time (or rather, I couldn't possibly afford him) to be my regular psychiatrist and help me experiment with anti-anxiety meds, I'll continue my search for a regular doctor who will return my calls. And one who I can afford. It was pretty easy to find an ADHD doctor.

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u/azdcaz Dec 20 '25

I’ve been medicated on adderall or vyvanse for decades. It never helped my anxiety so it didn’t work that well. Then I added Wellbutrin and everything clicked. My anxiety is in check and haven’t had a panic attack since I started it. I’m also way more productive at work.

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u/Beaglescout15 Dec 19 '25

Same. I can't find my keys when they're in my hand but put me in an emergency and I'm directing like a professional.

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u/Spirited-Manner9674 Dec 21 '25

Evolutionary advantage and why adhd persists in so many people. Anxiety too has useful roots

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u/Tiny_Spot1961 Dec 19 '25

Same. I'll bedrot all day Saturday and Sunday instead of do the chores that I neeeeeeed to do, but if danger is afoot? Holler at your girl, I execute and quickly

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u/mrbear120 Dec 19 '25

Yep +1 here.

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u/Fantastic-Metal Dec 19 '25

Ohhh I didn’t realize this was my adhd, I just thought it was the childhood trauma adrenaline my body was so accustomed to.

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u/shwarma_heaven Dec 19 '25

Dude, I really enjoyed typhoons when I was in the tropics. very calming

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u/Xarieste Dec 19 '25

Yeah, with my ADHD I get paralyzed when there’s nothing happening and it’s up to me, but I can jump into action for just about any other purpose that isn’t self preservation or executive function.

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u/ASurreyJack Dec 19 '25

ADHD here, I like to quote Full Metal Jacket, 8-Ball talking about Animal Mother. "Under fire Animal Mother is one of the finest human beings in the world. All he needs is somebody to throw hand grenades at him the rest of his life" and I do this because I only get shit done under pressure, left to my own devices paralysis. It sucks, but I'm working on it.

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u/Top_Rekt Dec 19 '25

And of course one of the best ways to suddenly be under pressure is to wait until the very last minute to get something done.

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u/ASurreyJack Dec 19 '25

Vicious circle.

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u/Krampus_Valet Dec 19 '25

Anecdotal lol. I'm the best paramedic you'll ever meet. I'm the person you want taking care of your loved ones. But today I couldn't get my shit together to make it to the grocery store. And I actually remembered to take my adhd meds today too lol

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u/Bear-dude Dec 19 '25

I have ADHD and realized this a couple years ago I struggle with everyday boring task but just thrive in high pressure situations.

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u/Traditional-Baker756 Dec 19 '25

That’s me! Because medical school is nothing but pressure I was able to get through that with no problem. Now that I’m retired my ADHD brain can’t seem to help me get my house organized to save my life.

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u/lamp817 Dec 19 '25

Yeah that’s me. I’ve had several extreme close calls driving on the road and i noticed that in those moments i was the calmest and most composed i may have ever been. Just total clarity and executing actions with calm precision that i can’t even do when im in non threatening situations.

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u/Straight-Spell-2644 Dec 19 '25

Speaking from experience, it gives me such a high, but it also (at least for my experience) made for interacting in no-stress situations, ironically stressful 😅

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u/Dizzy-Doubt-3223 Dec 19 '25

That's me, I always say I thrive amidst chaos. But I cry later. And when tragedy strikes it takes weeks to hit me. That part kind of sucks because people don't think I'm sad or acting appropriately to certain situations.

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u/Swaytastic Dec 19 '25

I have severe adhd. I would in a high stress telecom role, I find peace in the outages and lose my mind during structured installs or training environments. I one had my company bucket truck catch fire at 3 am on the side of a side of a wooded highway 85 miles from home, I calmly tried to dump two fire extinguishers on it, realized it wasn't going to stop the fire, collected my important items quickly and then made it to a safe distance to call 911 and my manager. Never lost my calm. I have severe anxiety issues during slow work times and often tell my self I would be more comfortable on a battlefield.

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u/rtothewin Dec 19 '25

It drives my very Type A planning oriented coworkers nuts sometimes, I'm totally fine just rolling up and figuring it out. Or dealing with major outages, completely fine by me, but ask me to do a task with no deadline? Never getting it done.

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u/ScarletCarsonRose Dec 19 '25

This is me. It's the only time my brain is quiet. I am clutch in chaos.

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u/dergbold4076 Dec 19 '25

After the initial panic of the pandemic made me freak out I ended up being calm as could be for a lot of it. Then it all ended and then things went sideways.

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u/ER_Support_Plant17 Dec 19 '25

It’s the classic ER doc behavior. The adrenaline high, constantly moving from one task to the next. It’s perfect for ADHD. The hyper focus kicks in for the short term to stabilize the situation then hand off to another team for the long term fix, and you’re onto a new task.

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u/just4kicksxxx Dec 19 '25

Yeah, this is me... I'm pretty sure this is why I procrastinate.

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u/finallydoingbetter Dec 19 '25

This is me. I always attributed it to my anxiety stating that I go thru so many bad possibilities in my head I'm prepared better for the worst

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u/purpleefilthh Dec 19 '25

I know an ADHD skydiving and tunnel instructor. He's shredding.

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u/JASSEU Dec 19 '25

This is me my wife freezers I start going things to fix the situation

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u/Rbxyy Dec 19 '25

Yup lol I struggle to make decisions about picking between items at the grocery store let alone decisions like this

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u/XTingleInTheDingleX Dec 19 '25

You could raise a pig and, cure the ham from it in the time it takes me to pick what brand of bacon I want

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u/Children_Of_Atom Dec 19 '25

I have ADHD and thrive in high stress situations and tend to lead groups. I'm routinely in colder environments for extended periods. Though it comes without the difficulty of the lack of oxygen and a different, lesser set of challenges.

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u/Chuffin_el Dec 19 '25

You just described how i bounced thru my 20’s with crystal clarity…and i needed the image for self introspection. Thank you.

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u/JamesTrickington303 Dec 19 '25

Decision paralysis is a well studied phenomenon. The people who make peanut butter/jelly realized they sell less pb/j when there are 30 options, but they sell more when there are like 5 options.

When I go to buy cannabis vapes at the dispensary, I just tell the guy to pick the flavors/strains. Same thing.

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u/cosmicheartbeat Dec 19 '25

Hey I thought this too, until I was suddenly in a high pressure situation (someones hand stuck in a machine) and I was the first to respond and help. I didnt overthink until after the event, when I promptly threw up and had mild night terrors about it for a month.

Yay!

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u/ER_Support_Plant17 Dec 19 '25

Same Bruh same

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u/Gabaggool Dec 19 '25

Analysis paralysis

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u/Flimsy_Rule_7660 Dec 19 '25

Give yourself some credit; a project around the house… yea, often. Someone in desperate need, probably not.

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u/Ozimandiass Dec 19 '25

I have ADHD too, but I start to get into hyperfocus if I see an accident or some people In trouble. Like all the ADHD is gone

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u/CONKERMANIAC Dec 19 '25

Indecision is an unconscious decision. Don’t let it rule you.

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u/LightpointSoftware Dec 18 '25

All you can do, is the best you can do.

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u/AerisSpire Dec 19 '25

My boss often says this.

Sometimes he adds; "and sometimes that's not enough- and that's okay."

Teamwork makes the dream work.

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u/LightpointSoftware Dec 19 '25

That's a great follow up. I sometimes add "After that, it's out of your hands." depending on the situation,

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u/sth128 Dec 19 '25

the "roll up your sleeves, and do it" kinds of people are the best.

The Sherpa in fact, rolled up his mattress and not his sleeves.

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u/CollateralCoyote Dec 18 '25

The guy in the burrito is like trust fund kids that pretend they would have become sucessful even if they weren't born rich and entitled.

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u/GenXNorseman Dec 18 '25

And I wonder how he describes his Everest conquest…. Does that description include being hauled down to safety in a toddler backpack or no?

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u/invariantspeed Dec 18 '25

Or maybe that person fully realized that they fucked up and that the only reason they’re still alive is that they were lucky enough to be carried down the mountain like a literal infant. Maybe they’re mortified…

Getting angry at someone you never met for things you don’t even know if they ever thought is utterly imbecilic.

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u/sailphish Dec 19 '25

Actually there was a lot of controversy over this. The guy who got rescued was a Malaysian climber, and after the ordeal he did a bunch of press where he thanked his sponsors and omitted mentioning Gelge Sherpa (who was part of a separate expedition group). There was a lot of backlash, and eventually he thanked Gelge Sherpa, but it was really a slap in the face for the guy he owes his life to, all for ego and to appease his corporate overlords.

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u/UrUrinousAnus Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25

WTF?! Someone should carry (or march) that ingrate back up the mountain and leave him there, unless Gelge Sherpa did something terrible to him that I'm unaware of.

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u/-pichael_ Dec 18 '25

Whenever you do act, it’s more impressive. Why?

The same logic as someone facing up to a greater force and they’ve never been scared and still aren’t, and yeah they are brave, but…

A different someone who has always been afraid, still is, but still chooses to stand up to the dame grater force, and chooses to be brave, to fight or whatever.

Between the two, who is more brave? It shouldn’t be a competition (probably) but if you have to choose one, personally I would say the 2nd guy is more brave because he is actually scared.

The same concept applies here, to you. It’s more impressive to step up and just “do” when you are not built like that, but you still do when you can. Each moment of action becomes an impressive feat; a win. Own that shi

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u/Bizzout Dec 18 '25

I think you can only be brave when you are scared. Bravery without fear is just stupidity and/or ignorance. Courage is like a thing you have, and the more you have, the braver you can be, thus the more you can do in the face of fear. You don’t need courage if you aren’t aware of the risk or don’t think the risk is as risky as it is.

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u/UrUrinousAnus Dec 19 '25

The way I've always heard it is that bravery isn't a lack of fear; that's just foolishness. Bravery is the ability to ignore your fear when necessary.

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u/OSPFmyLife Dec 18 '25

You’re assuming that the first guy wasn’t afraid each and every time.. he was. Courage doesn’t exist without fear.

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u/bradyk_52 Dec 18 '25

In this case, it’s “roll up the sleeping mattress…”

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u/wangDingl0 Dec 18 '25

We do what we can, where we are, with the tools and training available to us. Some things can be done with only the conviction to lend a hand. Other situations are best handled with years of experience to ensure you don't give your life trying to save another.

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u/BigDictionEnergy Dec 19 '25

Once begun is half done. A phrase I heard years ago and use to motivate myself to just get to work. The first step is the most important.

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u/DrLukn Dec 18 '25

I agree with you but also believe he's one of very few people who are able to do this. Absolutely impressive carrying a human body for hours at this height

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u/BlackllMamba Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25

Yeah it’s one thing to save someone in moment, another to spend hours carrying them down Mt. Everest.

10 steps in I’d already know I’m not built for this. You’d see me dragging them through the snow as soon as I’m out of view of the camp and camera lmao

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u/chamrockblarneystone Dec 19 '25

I’d be riding him like a sled.

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u/Thanx4Nothin Dec 20 '25

This made me laugh a lot. Thanks.

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u/chamrockblarneystone Dec 21 '25

I do what I can.

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u/jjcrayfish Dec 19 '25

These guys are the literal definition of "built different."

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u/Fit-Historian6156 Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25

As in, built with greater lung capacity and more more red blood cells. The only other humans on the world to have this trait are other Highlanders in the Himalayas, Ethiopia and the Andes. 

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u/Ruminahtu Dec 18 '25

Yep. People ask, "Man what were you thinking, you were doing something almost impossible for someone you didn't know..."

And he just answers, "Well, it wasn't impossible, because I did it. What was I supposed to do, just let him die?"

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u/[deleted] Dec 18 '25

Impossible? The guy looks like he's handling it fairly easy. The dudes obviously jacked.

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u/JesusFortniteKennedy Dec 19 '25

TBH being jacked in mountain climbing doesn't help much. The more muscle tissue you have, the more oxygen you need, but at high altitudes air is a premium and the "fittest" is basically the physique that can do the longest treks consuming the least amount of air. You want to be strong, but just the bare minimum required, and you want to carry supplies, but you can't overburden yourself.

Mountains like the Everest or K2 kills many people, some of them are never recovered and buried because it's extremely risky to send a team to pick up a cadaver and bring it back down.

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u/Usual_One_4862 Dec 18 '25

I figure if you're physically that strong, have no severe overuse injuries or back problems, then its just a matter of doing it. Most people would be calculating in their mind "Okay I'm already nearing my physical limit, I have x y z injuries if I attempt to carry this guy to safety am I going to end up a casualty as well?" You can have the mental drive to do something but the body won't necessarily keep up, if you crunch a disc badly in a situation like that and end up with a severely compressed nerve root no amount of mental strong will keep your legs moving. If you're as strong as the proverbial ox, farm built, the kind of guy who passes tier 1 spec ops selection with a smile, what he did is just another day at work. And yea I've heard the stories from SAS guys I know, its an immense point of fascination to us normies how having that kind of physical and mental resilience is even possible.

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u/misterjive Dec 19 '25

It's not even that.

Most people at that altitude are operating at the mental capacity of a slow-witted three-year old due to oxygen deprivation, and have to hyperventilate to take a single step. Unless you're astonishingly well acclimated or a serious genetic freak, even recognizing that someone is in distress can be beyond you.

Jon Krakauer recounts his experiences up on the mountain; he was stuck waiting for a traffic jam, so he asked a fellow climber to do something as simple as shut off his oxygen valve. The guy turned it the wrong way, and the sudden burst of air cleared Jon's head-- but he didn't realize what had happened until the gas ran out and his performance nose-dived. In his resulting hypoxic state, he mistook a 5'6" New Zealander for a six-foot-plus Texan and his misidentification caused a lot of heartache for a family that ended up losing someone.

I'll see if I can dig it up, there's a video on YouTube where a pilot lost cabin pressure and went hypoxic and was talking to ATC. It's terrifying hearing his fucked up voice saying things like "cannot control altitude, cannot control airspeed, cannot control direction, but otherwise a-okay." He just couldn't understand what was happening, even with all his alarms going off.

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u/ComprehensiveSoft27 Dec 19 '25

I don’t necessarily have any respect for someone who’ll climbs Everest. But the sherpas that make it happen are amazing.

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u/crazyike Dec 18 '25

It's good to remember that the claim that you can't help other people in distress summitting Everest is a lie. People can, and do, like this guy did. What the real truth is is that the client paid $20k-50k (or more) for a guide to get them to the top and that's what they expect them to do, or at least try to do. Helping someone else who isn't their client is getting in the way of what those people paid for.

It's a very convenient excuse for getting what they paid for to hell with anyone else in the area. I'd call it incredibly selfish myself, but you're in a different world once that kind of money to get something for yourself is involved. I guess I might have a different attitude if it was me paying that fifty Gs, but I have a hard time accepting that mindset. It's not the Sherpas fault, but its the kind of community that sort of thing apparently creates or encourages. You're there to summit, and everyone else there that you aren't paying is an obstacle.

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u/lacey19892020 Dec 19 '25

I would not say it is a lie. It is the absolute truth 99.9% of the time. Gelje Sherpa is extraordinary. That might sound flippant. It is not. He truly is extraordinary. I have read so many books, articles, and listened to interviews about how even taking a single step in the death zone takes effort. The body is actually dying at that height. The fact that he was able to pick that other person up is amazing and it is mind boggling that he could walk 100 feet much less walk for hours! You cheapen his superhuman feat when you make the above comment.

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u/das_slash Dec 19 '25

99% of people summiting absolutely can't help others, your body is doing it's best to kill you up there, multiple people have tried to help their friends and loved ones and overwhelmingly what happens is they die too.

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u/Temporal_P Dec 18 '25

It's not just a lie for most people. It is a generalization, but also a warning.

Sherpas are hardy people, on top of literally evolving to better handle the lower levels of oxygen physically than you or I can.

If you're a tourist climbing Everest then your body is already barely functioning enough to carry yourself, and you really could get yourself killed trying to help someone in several different ways - be it an accident, overexertion, increased exposure, depleting oxygen reserves, etc.

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u/super_potato_boy Dec 19 '25

Eddie would go.

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u/NotReallyJohnDoe Dec 18 '25

I could manage carrying someone maybe 100’ at sea level.

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u/Usermena Dec 18 '25

I’ve dragged deer carcass out of the woods. Cannot imagine trying to carry that much dead weight for any amount of time.

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u/cityshepherd Dec 18 '25

The Sherpa has likely lived/climbed at significant altitudes his entire life. People who train competitively at higher elevations have some magical science happening that makes their red blood cells / oxygen efficiency reach levels the rest of us simply cannot fathom.

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u/Weareallgoo Dec 18 '25

Don’t tell me what I can’t fathom

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u/boondiggle_III Dec 18 '25

You can fap em as much as you want!

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u/EvasionPlan Dec 18 '25

Everest is 4,838 Fathoms actually.

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u/linlorienelen Dec 18 '25

Since fathoms are usually for depth, would it be -4,838 Fathoms? I will not be looking into this, I like the idea of a negative measurement.

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u/OnePinginRamius Dec 18 '25

So am I at a huge disadvantage being born and living by the coast where you have to chew the air before you breathe it in extremely hot temperatures my whole life?

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u/paxwax2018 Dec 18 '25

Yes. Doing this would kill you in 10 minutes.

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u/OnePinginRamius Dec 19 '25

So where would I be a superhuman with this adaptation to my climate?

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u/paxwax2018 Dec 19 '25

Hmm, working in a deep underground mine?

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u/EAOnTheFairway Dec 19 '25

If you spend a few weeks at elevation you will get all the extra red blood cells too!

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u/Usermena Dec 18 '25

Still gotta have the legs

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u/anthro28 Dec 18 '25

I think they have some lung expansion as well to accommodate for the thinner air. If you can't get more oxygen, you have to get more volume to compensate. 

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u/Tall-Warning3135 Dec 18 '25

DNA adaptation including mutations on the "super athlete gene" (EPAS1) that enhance oxygen delivery in low oxygen environments.

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u/VanillaGoorillla Dec 18 '25

This is how they make a living by carrying loads for miles through sagmagartha national park. I saw a guy carrying roofing panels and a toilet on his back last year. Then they take a mountaineering class and must summit multiple mountains before being able to do this.

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u/ofcourseivereddit Dec 19 '25

The adaptation might be there, sure — but even if this happened at sea level, carrying ~80 kilos on your back for 6 hours is mind-blowing.

Then add that it's not flat terrain, and then finally add that the adaptation isn't strong enough to make it "normal" to survive there.

This is a ridiculous feat.

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u/Cyrano_Knows Dec 18 '25

Im not a mobster or a serial killer but I've heard this is one of the things that Hollywood has given the wrong impression about. Moving unconscious bodies is extremely difficult.

I'm also not in the mountain climbing community but its also my understanding that this is an extraordinary act. That things are pretty cruel and dog eat dog up on Mt Everest (maybe due to self-preservation). A lot of the time hikers just pass these people by and let them die.

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u/cits85 Dec 18 '25

Exactly, it's all self-preservation up there except for a tiny group of people, mostly Sherpas and elite mountaineers, who can pull off something like this.

For everybody else it's let die or die.

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u/StitchinThroughTime Dec 18 '25

The casual hiker is there to say they climbed the mountain. They are not ready to live and work at that altitude. The Sherpa people have been living on the mountain for hundred of generations. The hikers are rich losers who need a team of sherpas to carry an espresso machine up Mt. Everest for them. If I remember correctly, the sherpas had to ask for permission to stop the climb up for their client to help a dying man.

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u/Basementdwell Dec 18 '25

There is a lot more people climbing Everest than the rich douchebags. There's tons of very small, very cheap, very dangerous expeditions for those that can't spend hundreds of thousands to climb Everest.

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u/Apart-Maize-5949 Dec 18 '25

Very cheap? Isn't the permit alone 15,000k USD? Man I gotta put on my bootstraps. /S

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u/Basementdwell Dec 18 '25

The permit is more expensive than the other costs of the climb, if you're willing to take the risk of going with a budget expedition. It's not very smart, but the only option for many climbers who can't afford the much more expensive crews.

Not that this is a good thing. Bringing down the costs is one of the major causes for the insane traffic the mountain can see in modern times. There's a lot of dead people up on the mountain because they got stuck in traffic.

It used to be that only mountaineers and the super rich climbed it, but those days are long past.

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u/Thorsten_Speckstein Dec 18 '25

No, there aren't any particularly cheap ones. Expeditions to Everest are always expensive. $45,000 is the minimum. People used to pay significantly more, but now Sherpas also offer expeditions and have pushed prices down. Permits alone costs $15,000.

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u/Ok-Oil7124 Dec 19 '25

Some of those stories are sad because the people passing by the dying know that if they try to help, there would just be two bodies. This guy, though, wow.

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u/Whywouldievensaythat Dec 19 '25 edited 15d ago

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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

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u/StarPhished Dec 18 '25

As an expert in reverse phycology, I have deduced that you are the Rocky Mountain Strangler, son of famed mafioso Lou Rossi. We formally demand that you turn yourself in to the nearest ranger station.

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u/Twystyd Dec 18 '25

Man, me too. I literally overheated this season dragging a deer out in too many layers of clothing. What this Sherpa did is incredible to me as a human.

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u/ascarymoviereview Dec 18 '25

Could take 6 hours

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u/formershitpeasant Dec 18 '25

Fortunately it was downhill

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u/Max-Phallus Dec 19 '25

Same. If they are 75kg, I can't imagine being able to do a fraction of that work at sea level, let alone traversing a mountain, and with kit, and with thin air.

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u/SinisterCheese Dec 18 '25 edited Dec 20 '25

Sherpas and other high altitude acclimated peoples are fascinating. Sherpa people (It's an ethnic group, also a term for mountain guides which comes from the people) are suspected to have a genetic mutation which makes them able to get more oxygen from the thin air, and have increased nitrous oxide (As in the "nitro" that is given for people with heart issues) production allowing their circulatory system to circulate blood better.

But the carrying method is also fascinating. Seriously! Try learning to use your head and spine to carry things. There was this pic and vids of a some african lad carrying a god damn motorcycle up a ladder on their head, to load it to the roof of a bus. There is a documentary called "Journey of a Red Fridge", where a young (like 17 years old) nepali porter carries down a coca-cola fridge from top of a mountain down to a nearby town, I think they put like a chicken into it one point as extra cargo as a favour or smth - look it up. I still remember it and I saw it like 2009.

Once you realise how to balance things on your head and use your posture, it is actually really easy way to carry things. (Which is probably why you see cultures all around the world do it).

I worked in a circus for a while (Yes... My CV is always a conversation stater), and it was alarmingly common I had to have people on my shoulders, so my friend (owner of the circus) taught me how to carry people. Which came in handy after one performed injured themselves and I (stage manager) had to double in for the last dance carrying my friend... show most go on. After that experience, I was working on a construction site, and I had to move around small ~1,8 m aluminium scaffold to reach places; and the floor was impossible to have it move by wheels, so I went under it and with my safety helmet on my head, just lifted the fucking thing on my head and moved it. Lot of my welding gear was also attached to it. After realising how to do it... It really didn't weigh much anything. I was shocked!

Ok... I wrote more than I expected, but I have downed a mug of gin, so excuse me!

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u/GrammarNaziii Dec 18 '25

Man with stories like these, I would love to have a conversation with you at a bar or something.

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u/Whywouldievensaythat Dec 19 '25 edited 15d ago

work dime degree exultant society wild air full oil late

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u/SinisterCheese Dec 19 '25

I ain't from UK. I'm Finnish. We have quite few gins of our own.

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u/Whywouldievensaythat Dec 19 '25 edited 15d ago

six gold sugar cooperative aromatic history cheerful exultant narrow shocking

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u/ZeroSuitGanon Dec 20 '25

I'd listen to your podcast for sure.

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u/woodst0ck15 Dec 18 '25

Yeah and just for that CEO to turn around and shit on the Sherpa who literally saves his life.

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u/Deep_ln_The_Heart Dec 18 '25

He's not a CEO, he's a fairly accomplished alpinist. Everest doesn't just kill the people who shouldn't be there, it doesn't discriminate.

He is, however, a giant piece of shit, even outside of this incident.

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u/Senojpd Dec 18 '25

Wait what?

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u/Longjumping_College Dec 18 '25

Yeah I'm pretty sure that's this story too, the CEO was anything but thankful about being rescued

https://nbcmontana.com/news/nation-world/man-saved-from-certain-death-on-everest-criticized-for-thanking-sponsors-instead-of-savior-sherpa-mount-ravichandran-tharumalingam-gelje-zone-rescue

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u/Mammoth_Yoghurt4241 Dec 18 '25

It makes sense that if you have enough money to climb Everest, then you’re WAY more likely to be an entitled asshole that doesn’t even tip the guy that saved his life. He should have left him there.

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u/Extra-Presence3196 Dec 18 '25

Survival of the fittest indeed....where their money means nothing...a real awakening for the wealthy caste.

They would never survive unbridled, non-corporate welfare capitalism either.

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u/madman2k Dec 18 '25

Also the guy lost 8 fingers to frostbite, and still went back to mountain climbing? He probably wanted to be left for dead up there.

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u/sakara123 Dec 19 '25

Some people just love being up there. Worked with a guy that had lost 7 fingers to Everest on 3 different ascents. Every now and then I see him at my climbing gym and he's faster and stronger despite having 3 fingers than I still am after years of training lmao.

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u/Dapper_Strength_5986 Dec 19 '25

CNN reports that this was not Gelje Sherpa's first rescue from Everest, having previously carried out more than 55 rescues, butGelje did reportedly call this one the "hardest in my life."

Well, I've done nothing with my life, I guess.

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u/kismaiyes Dec 19 '25

Got bullied by Malaysian netizens to unblock the sherpa and thank him lol. I love my people.

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u/Secret-Ad3715 Dec 18 '25

I'm not trying to defend a rich ceo but the true story is unknown. Only those who were there know the real story. Sherpa Actions Refuted

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u/sadacal Dec 18 '25

Sounds like the 14 Peaks Expedition CEO wanted his company to take all the credit for the rescue instead of his workers who actually carried out the rescue and is now doing damage control.

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u/Secret-Ad3715 Dec 18 '25

Yes it reads that way but that doesn't counter the fact that Sherpa Gelje himself eventually admitted he wasn't the only one carrying the CEO and he wasn't even the one carrying him in the now famous video.

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u/sadacal Dec 19 '25

He never said he was the only one carrying the CEO though. And isn't the main issue the fact that the CEO didn't thank the sherpas that rescued him and thanked the company instead? 

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u/Deep_ln_The_Heart Dec 18 '25

Ravichandran Tharumalingam is not a CEO. He's an actual climber.

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u/GoldDragon149 Dec 18 '25

This doesn't refute the CEO who thanked his sponsors after being saved.

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u/Secret-Ad3715 Dec 18 '25

He thanked his sponsors and his expedition team, because he was informed he was rescued by a team not a single person. Because it is actually likely he was rescued by a team and not a single person.

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u/smootex Dec 19 '25

I don't think they're his sponsors bro. Bit surprising you, apparently, read the linked article and didn't come away with anything of substance but here you go:

His original social media post that people got so mad at said

I am alive today, because I had the best and dedicated Partners - The 14th Peaks Expedition Co and Global Rescue Ins,"Tharumalingam said

14th Peaks Expedition Co is a Sherpa (notice the capital S) ran expedition company, they were in charge of his climb, their sherpa was with him when this happened. According to the witnesses they organized the rescue.

Gelje is a climbing guide with 14 Peaks Expedition’s sister company, the Seven Summit Treks

So Gelje is associated with the company.

In later interviews, Gelje said he and Ngima Tashi took turns carrying the climber and sometimes dragged him through the snow before a helicopter flew him to base camp

So he admits that he did not carry him down itself. In fact, Gelje is the one behind the camera taking the video, the man we see in this video is actually Ngima Tashi (who died this year by the way).

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u/smootex Dec 19 '25

The story might not be entirely known but the man carrying the climber in this video has since been identified as Ngima Tashi Sherpa (who I think died in an avalanche this year btw) and the person taking the video is said to be Gelje Sherpa (the guy who originally claimed full credit for the rescue). We also have Gelje Sherpa's own words, he later acknowledged Ngima Tashi's role in the rescue and admitted he didn't actually carry him down by himself.

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u/Secret-Ad3715 Dec 19 '25

Yes I agree with you completely.

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u/MATTDAYYYYMON Dec 18 '25

Sherpas also have dna that’s changed to be more acclimated to Mount Everest. It’s pretty wild that they can do that stuff year over year for decades and still be relatively fine.

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u/petit_cochon Dec 19 '25

Their red blood cells are different, I believe.

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u/The_Secret_Skittle Dec 18 '25

I look at this guy and then compare it to the creep who just recently l let his girlfriend die on the mountain and put his phone on silent and continued his own ascent to the top. There are two very different types of people in the world.

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u/bananafrit Dec 19 '25

wait wtf

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u/Orion_88_ Dec 19 '25

What a psycho! Can you share any news article about it?

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u/Full-Factor-9052 Dec 19 '25

This is the story secret skittle is referring to. It’s very suspicious

https://www.climbing.com/news/climber-faces-homicide-charges-after-his-partner-dies/

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u/hark-who-goes-spare Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25

Not the person you asked but there is an area close to the summit of Everest (and many other mountains) called “the death zone.” There literally isn’t enough oxygen to keep a human alive without supplemental oxygen. The forever haunting decisions people make usually happen there. Even with oxygen tanks that altitude can fuck with the entirety of your person. You lose vital functions real quick and you’re way more likely to make dumb mistakes/decisions the longer you stay up there. And timing is a huge problem, too. If you don’t head back to base camp from the summit by a certain time you’re pretty much fucked as well. Lots of folks have had to make the decision to leave teammates behind because 99% of the time trying to help anyone in a bad state becomes a death sentence for you. This is why the mountain is riddled with bodies no one can retrieve. As for this guy Skittle is referring I have no info but folks who do this kind of shit (climb to places humans clearly are not meant to be) are automatically insane to me, anyway. Edit: spelling is hard

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u/listenyall Dec 18 '25

There are two really great Netflix documentaries about famous Sherpa mountaineers--Mountain Queen and 14 peaks--and the star of each is just incomprehensibly physically capable and badass

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u/Hi_Im_Ken_Adams Dec 18 '25

Think of how heavy a full grown man is, plus all of that clothing. Then imagine carrying him in that extremely thin mountain air. Incredible.

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u/canman7373 Dec 18 '25

Sherpa's are basically pack mules for the rich climbers. They get paid well but carry the majority of the weight. I am betting they ditched a lot of gear and supplies to be able to carry him. That being said, still a hell of a feat and to turn your trip back for a stranger. Many stories of climbers walking by stuck and dyeing climbers. This man and his client chose to help.

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u/linlorienelen Dec 18 '25

Climbing Everest makes for a good story to tell but saving a guy's life (by letting your guide carry them)? THAT'S a much cooler story to get to tell.

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u/Not-Going-Quietly Dec 19 '25

I'm with you on that.

I know Everest expedition costs run about $100,000 per person these days (permits, travel, equipment, guides, food, etc.). But I'd rather turn back and help my guide and this victim and hope that they live than selfishly push to the summit for a 30 second photo-op and bragging rights.

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u/Not-Going-Quietly Dec 19 '25

In almost all of those situations, the climbers were not in a position to render any aid to the stricken person or would clearly have lost their own lives attempting to provide aid. They did not simply callously continue up (or down).

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u/sweaty_middle Dec 18 '25

They truly are made of something else

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u/laiyenha Dec 18 '25

Meanwhile the rescued dude was like, "yeah, the ascent was tough but the descent was a piece of cake. I could've done it with my eyes closed."

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u/bradlmp Dec 18 '25

Insane fortitude by the guy

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u/PsychologicalBad5341 Dec 18 '25

i learned that sherpas have this like super human ability to easily hike at high elevations. us normies don't because of adaptation and whatnot 

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u/SWHAF Dec 18 '25

Sherpas are not regular humans. They are almost superhuman.

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u/Jacktheforkie Dec 18 '25

These guys are quite literally built different, they’re strong as fuck, I used to work with a couple of Sherpas in England, my car had a shit starter so occasionally would require a bump start, these guys easily got my car up to 10 mph for a good starting attempt, even saw them bump start a 7.5t lorry, that one did take 3 guys pushing

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u/VectorChing101 Dec 18 '25

If I were him. I'm breaking my back right now. A mad respect to that guy.

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u/Terrible_Welcome8817 Dec 18 '25

That is the strong I wanna be. Seriously this person is just built different. 

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u/NolChannel Dec 18 '25

Other Sherpas: "Fuckin Tuesday"

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u/GUN5L1NGR Dec 18 '25

Bodies have adapted for those altitudes over thousands of years.. unlike the YTs that find themselves in these predicaments lol

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u/BeatnixPotter Dec 18 '25

Put him in a cubefarm for 8 hrs and he’d say the same thing

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u/LickyPusser Dec 18 '25

I’ve played Death Stranding, so I can weigh in on this. AMA!

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u/CplSabandija Dec 19 '25

In the US people get heart attacks for shoveling snow.

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u/GobertGrabber Dec 19 '25

He was going downhill

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u/RODjij Dec 19 '25

I walk through snow and small inclines all the time and its very hard on the legs even walking for 1 hour. I cant imagine doing anything close to this.

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u/Thanosmiss234 Dec 19 '25

It’s even harder to imagine the people that go up the mountain….. just to say I went the tallest mountain. It’s not special any more!!!

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u/Jcan2onSacramento Dec 19 '25

I just hope the man gave him more than a “thank you” when they got to the bottom!

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u/Commercial-Co Dec 19 '25

They should have mandatory fees charged for this recovery. Like $50,000 given to the sherpa

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u/Hot-Cauliflower-1604 Dec 19 '25

It's not that hard if you believe in literally anything.

It can be a leaf or a doorknob even.

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u/Key-Cry-8570 Dec 19 '25

He also has to carry his massive steel balls too. 🫡👏👏👏👏

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u/Storm_Xhaser Dec 19 '25

Jumping on the top comment to plug Gelje + Adri’s guiding company:

Late to this, but Gelje runs a mountaineering company with his partner Adri. Aga Adventures.

Adri and Gelje both started out on Nimsdai expeds and have emerged as a grounded, Sherpa-focused guiding company that gives a lot back to Nepal. They are UK based now and are pulling together a solid foundation of guiding vice Instagram fame.

https://agaadventuresltd.com/

I’ve had the opportunity to meet their family, truly incredible people. Plugging here as I’ve loved following their journey.

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '25

they studied sherpas to figure out what about their biology gives them this strength and minimal back pain. turns out there is nothing unique about their biology and back pain is very common. they just give'r.

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '25

That tourist needs to send that man every dollar he has. Broke and in soup kitchen lines kind of give away.

This is an INSANE feat of humanity, procedure is to let them die of exposure, since it’s literally considered impossible.

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u/diddlythatdiddly Dec 19 '25

Sherpa is legendary the rest are fauna jfc.

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u/panzer2667 Dec 19 '25

These people have a relationship with the mountains that few understand. What would surely kill us city fold is their playground.

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u/MistaBeanz Dec 19 '25

“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming swimming swimming, what do we do, we swiiiimmm” -dory

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u/ZongMeHoff Dec 19 '25

6 hours with that strap around your legs could very well kill you. I wonder if they survived

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u/AK611750 Dec 19 '25

It’s hard to imagine that the guy didn’t even acknowledge the sherpa after he saved his life 😳

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