Veteran Nepali high-altitude guide Hillary Dawa Sherpa, is recovering at home with his family following a miraculous survival story on Mount Everest. The 57-year-old guide from Okhaldhunga district survived nearly a week alone after falling into a deep crevasse in the Khumbu Icefall and granted his first public interview since he left the hospital. Dawa’s story of his harrowing six day self-rescue from 25,590 feet might just be the greatest tale of alpine survival ever told. This man is truly indomitable.
The incident began on May 29, 2026 when Dawa was descending the mountain after an unsuccessful summit attempt with a Polish client. Having reached the South Col before turning back, Dawa ran out of supplemental oxygen, slowed down, and fell behind his group. After spending a night alone at Camp III, he continued his descent unaccompanied.
During his descent, Dawa fell into a deep crevasse in the treacherous Khumbu Icefall. He survived inside the chasm for days until an avalanche partially filled the crevasse, allowing him to drag himself out to safety. A waste-management team eventually spotted him near Crampon Point on June 4th. He was immediately airlifted to Kathmandu for medical treatment.
Dawa faces a lengthy rehabilitation process. He sustained a fractured right leg during the fall, which currently requires him to use a wheelchair, and doctors have mandated at least a month of strict rest. He also suffered frostbite on the fingers of his right hand.
To help cover his extensive medical and rehabilitation costs, an international GoFundMe campaign was launched by British climber Stephen Selman, alongside Dawa’s brother-in-law Nuru Sherpa and daughter Mendo Lhamu Sherpa. Supported by global climbing communities and social media advocates, the initiative has raised $56,747 to date. Selman plans to travel to Nepal to deliver the crowdsourced funds directly to Dawa’s family.
Dawa’s harrowing ordeal has sparked intense scrutiny regarding safety standards within Nepal’s mountaineering industry. Nepal’s Tourist Police are currently investigating the circumstances that led to Dawa being left behind and disappearing on the mountain, and they are awaiting a final witness statement to conclude their official report.
