IGX

My guide on the Everest Base Camp walk. He's 23. Summited Everest at 21. Tasked to take 4 oxygen tanks to Camp 4, he took 5, kept one for himself and summited alone without "permission." Strong, brave, competent and blessed with a great sense of humor. He was in the recent deadly avalanche and sends this message to his American friends who have been worried about him for days:


I just got home yesterday
A tragic avalanche took lives of 16 Sherpas on Khumbu Icefall.It was the day of 18th April.I was heading towards Icefall with my Client from XXX, XXX. We started at about 4 am from EBC.There were lots of Sherpas hauling upto camp 1 and 2 with loads.I heard some friend of mine on the walkie talkie talking about the ladder below camp 1 broken.So lots of sherpas were stucked there.But later sherpas fixed it and startred further.Most Sherpas of our group,XXX had already crossed camp 1 before 6am.I got to the place called football field on the way to camp1,in Khumbu Icefall at around 6:15am.That was our final point for that day.We were resting there.A very strong wind hit us.Now I realize that it was a sign alerting sherpas about the avalanche.Five minutes after that wind I saw a big block of ice ,large as a big house came apart from Lola Face towards Icefall.It created a big cloud moving towards camp1 but turned around and moved towards us.I was very scared.My client and I runned little down and hid behinnd a big Ice.The cloud of snow covered us and made dark for a while.After few minutes it cleared up slowly.Our body was covered with snow all over.
I was very happie to be safe.Then we radioed down to EBC and started lowering down.I had doubt that there must be some sherpas on Avalanche but I had to take my client down.Later after 10 minutes I heard a sherpa friend of me lowering from Camp1 saying that the are countless bodies buried under snow,some just legs and some just hands.I was so scared to hear that.I just kept chanting prayers till I got to Base camp.My client was very scared too since it was his first day on Icefall.
Later that day 12 bodies were recovered and four victims rescued to Ktm.Still four were missing.One was found yesterday.Still they are searching for other three.
I got lots of calls from home.My parents were crying on phone and wanted me to quit and get home.So 13 Sherpas from our group together,we quitted,asked for leave and returned home.
My mom and dad was very worried about me since I am their only eyes.They were into tears to call me back home.
On 11 th of April too,me and other three sherpas were on the mouth of an avalanche.But luckily there was a big crevesse and the avalanche stopped covering the crevesse.So it was already twice that I got my life back.So I thought in third time I may not have the luck to get back home and see my family so i decided to return.
Now we all are happy here at XXX.
Life in mountain is very uncertain,A day before I was kidding and seeing those friends and the next day they were gone.
It was very painful to see our sherpa brother hanged on a helicopter and dropped to the base camp.And at the base camp their bodies were covered by their own sleeping bags and packed for their family.
Its the most tragic accident which took such a massive lives.

I hope that I will be able to do some new work or start new to see that smile on my parents face everyday.