Queenstowner Lewis, 36, and his Aussie-based brother hiked to Everest Base Camp to pay tribute to both their mother, who died a decade ago on April 29, and their grandmother, who passed away on the same date last year.
“It was just unreal, it was a bit surreal to go somewhere you’ve wanted to be since you were a kid,” Lewis says.
Their nana liked port, so they took a bottle up with them and gave her a toast.
“It was pretty emotional.”
The pair also raised a whopping $16,000 for those suffering from pancreatic cancer, the disease that killed their mother.
In a special twist, they arrived at Base Camp on April 29 after a two-week climb.
Lewis says he found the trek hard.
“I’m pretty fit, and it was more challenging than I expected. The altitude made a big difference.”
Both he and Karl suffered migraines from the altitude.
And while at the airport, due to fly back to Kathmandu, a plane and helicopter crashed, killing six people.
The brothers have now set their sights on another mammoth trek, this time to Mount Kilimanjaro for Lewis’ 40th birthday in four years.
“We’re definitely going to do something again, even if you’re just raising a little bit of money for charity, anyone can do it.”
