Famed Sherpa climber helps Nepal kids reach greater heights

Apa Sherpa has stood on top of the world more times than all but one other person. Now he wants to make sure no one feels compelled to follow in his footsteps.

As a boy growing up in Nepal, Sherpa dreamed of becoming a doctor, but poverty and lack of education steered him to a far more dangerous path: Working as a guide on Mount Everest, carrying climbing equipment and helping foreign mountaineers scale the world's tallest peak.

Now retired in the U.S., Sherpa returns every year to his roots in the foothills of the Himalayas to provide financial assistance to village schools and try to show children from the Sherpa minority group that they have options in life.

"Sherpas take big risks in the mountains to earn a living for their families because they are unable to take up any other jobs," the 59-year-old said. "My main goal is to ensure children in the future don't have to take up climbing like we did."
By the age of 12 he was working on climbing expeditions. At age 30, he summited Everest for the first time. He repeated the feat almost every year after, going on to become one of Everest's greatest guides and earning the nickname "Super Sherpa."