A Fair well message to a friend:
I was working away in work one day in 2006 when I was handed a message to call this guy Ian Mc Keever about a charity event he was running for attempt to climb the Seven Summits. It was handed to me as the staff knew I was into mountaineering.
I called Ian and we spoke to about 40 minutes about his plans and my plans for Everest. It became clear he had little to no experience but his can do attitude struck me straight away. He was similar to me, he had been told no most of his life, and every negative comment or discussion only made him stronger and he wanted to achieve what, people said was impossible. He did it...........
We kept in touch through 2006 to 2010, he broke the world record for the fastest seven summits, attempted to row the Atlantic, break more world records on Kilimanjaro, he managed to give us a great send off for Everest and we hit the pubs in Dublin on a few occasions to celebrate our successes. He even came to my stag in 2010.
Since then Ian was breaking more records on Kilimanjaro and leading people to achieve their dreams. I have taken a similar path bringing many teams up Island Peak, Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp and beyond.
Ian died on Kilimanjaro last week the 2nd January 2013. He will be sadly missed and will live long in the memories of people who knew him. I will be back on Kilimanjaro for my thirteenth time in February and it will be hard to pass by where he died. I know he lived to the max and loved every moment in the mountains.
I will remember Ian as a true Irish Hero, a champion to show everyone we can all achieve our own Everest.
I was working away in work one day in 2006 when I was handed a message to call this guy Ian Mc Keever about a charity event he was running for attempt to climb the Seven Summits. It was handed to me as the staff knew I was into mountaineering.
I called Ian and we spoke to about 40 minutes about his plans and my plans for Everest. It became clear he had little to no experience but his can do attitude struck me straight away. He was similar to me, he had been told no most of his life, and every negative comment or discussion only made him stronger and he wanted to achieve what, people said was impossible. He did it...........
We kept in touch through 2006 to 2010, he broke the world record for the fastest seven summits, attempted to row the Atlantic, break more world records on Kilimanjaro, he managed to give us a great send off for Everest and we hit the pubs in Dublin on a few occasions to celebrate our successes. He even came to my stag in 2010.
Since then Ian was breaking more records on Kilimanjaro and leading people to achieve their dreams. I have taken a similar path bringing many teams up Island Peak, Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp and beyond.
Ian died on Kilimanjaro last week the 2nd January 2013. He will be sadly missed and will live long in the memories of people who knew him. I will be back on Kilimanjaro for my thirteenth time in February and it will be hard to pass by where he died. I know he lived to the max and loved every moment in the mountains.
I will remember Ian as a true Irish Hero, a champion to show everyone we can all achieve our own Everest.
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