Everest Left For Dead · The David Sharp Story 

No radio, no backup oxygen, no climbing partner, no instructions on his plans or when to expect his return, sits in a dark spot instead of by the ropes, sounds like suicide. Has there ever been any investigation into this possibility?

After watching numerous documentaries on Mount Everest, I think taking a photo from afar would be mission accomplished for me. My life is more precious than a mountain.

I’ve never climbed but from what it sounds like it’d be hell of a job to save ANYONE past a certain point. It’s so easy to say “save him” from your warm, cozy room

The double amputee who couldn't even walk the full way back down (having to use a sled, and later carried) due to severe frostbite in his stumps, which he later had to have surgery to remove 3cm of length from, and was running out of oxygen, was supposed to save a man who was frozen solid, practically dead weight and who couldn't be carried more than 4 STEPS in 30 minutes by two experienced and strong able-bodied sherpas, from 8500m to base camp. Obviously he didn't do enough, he should've climbed Everest in an hour and used his superhuman strength and endurance to carry Sharp down before he froze into position and his own frostbite set in.

Sharp knew the risks he was taking. He was an experienced climber. I find it telling that his final words were his name, not save me. He knew he was dying. And his family seems to have no animosity towards the other hikers. I hope David Sharp is at peace and the world should let him be.

I don't understand why people critize others and not D. Sharpe. As tragic as his death was but he himself is responsible for what happened!

I’m sorry but I have a great amount of respect for Mark. To be able to accomplish that climb with prosthetic legs…. That’s just jaw dropping.

I think anyone who climbs Everest is insane. What happened to David Sharp is tragic, but the responsibility for his death is his and his alone. To blame a double amputee for his demise is appalling. Would it have been heroic of another climber to have risked his life to save David? Absolutely. But you can’t fault someone when the difference between life and death is virtually no more than a hair’s breadth.

Cowboy seems one of those people that always helps someone in need. Him not being able to help David Sharp is probably something that'll torment him for the rest of his life. You can hear the anguish-don't feel ashamed Cowboy it just shows that you're a compassionate being.

RIP David Sharp. No blame or guilt should be levied at anyone. The mountain is the story. Good luck to all the souls involved.

I am 100% certain that David would not be mad or have blamed any of those men. He knew the risk, and it was a death sentence for anyone who tried to help.

Shame on the public for reacting this way, there’s nothing they could have done.

I'm always saddened to hear of a climber losing his or her life, and I respect their courage....but I'm also reminded that the climber put themselves in that situation. In fact, they walked themselves into that situation. They walked all the way to the place they died. It's cases like these that make me question why climbing a mountain is worth dying for.

I’m pretty sure it’s a known fact that once in the death zone you’re basically on your own. It’s also known that if you’re not coherent and able to walk at least to some degree you can’t be helped. There have been exceptions, but that’s the general rule. It wasn’t anyone’s fault that man died. It’s tragic, but no other climber’s fault. Certainly not a single individual who was also a double amputee. He was the last person who could’ve done anything. It was an awful tragedy and nobody on that mountain was responsible.

For attempting a rescue like that, they'd need a big team of top climbers with the sole porpuse of attempting said rescue. Even with that, if the climber can't move at all or is barely concious, it would be an impossible task. And you're telling me that people end up blaming a man with two prothesic legs? What kind of madness is that?

His last words were to identify himself. He knew he was going to die, was expecting it. He didn't say "help, don't leave me". So I don't think he expected others to do anything else than what would be done for the imminently dying.

I summited Everest in 92. I trained for two years hiking up and down Colorado ranges. Then it takes two months once you get there. You cant help anyone if they cant move even slightly on their own You can barely move yourself let alone anyone else. People think sure lets just pick up this guy and help him, no reality is you take a couple of steps, then you have to stop again to rest. Then your Sherpa is behind you saying come on, come on, keep moving, non-stop, pushing you to move and stay warm. You cant even stay with a climber in trouble for long if they cant move as your decent window is small as is your oxygen supply. There was no green boots there then. Sharp only had himself to blame

As sad as any death is, when it comes down to it, if you die on Everest, you’re the only one at blame. Nobody has the strength to carry someone down the mountain, climbers know this when attempting to climb and they also know there’s a chance of dying. If you can’t walk/climb while there, to put it simply, you’re screwed.

Cowboy’s got a really big heart, he’s so human; he reminds me of a close friend, good buddy of mine I lost on a deployment. He was so worried about everyone else right up to the end, he didn’t care he was going. Very sad.

I remember when this story hit 15 years ago and all the uproar. I thought then David Sharp knew exactly what he was getting into. I still believe that today.

I'm not a climber, but from an early age I've been fascinated by Everest. Have read some books and watched numerous videos about it. That shot of Sharp going up on his own at that time of day, kind've says it all. What could the team in their condition and in the dark, possibly do, except kill themselves. How many incapacitated climbers or bodies have been brought down from where Sharp and the Indian climber are? I assume most of the backlash against the team was started by, and encouraged by, the know-nothings in the media.

My brother was a rock climber for the Australian national rock climbing team and one day I remember Mark coming to the climbing gym to give a talk to the team. He was such a humble and caring man- he really inspired everyone, he gave up his whole day to give support & advice to everyone, even the family members of the climbers... anyone who speaks badly of him has obviously never met him. On top of that he raises money for multiple charities and even does research for curing leukaemia. Also attempting a rescue at that height would be suicidal for anyone, not to mention an amputee and disabled mountaineer. David also did not take any of the needed resources to stay safe, he risked his life by his own choice and its not fair to blame anyone else for his death which was caused by his own choices.

The first man to summit Mt. Everest Sir Edmund Hilliary and Tenzing Norgey Sherpa. Not only Sir Edmund Hiliary.

Have you heard of the guy who actually tried to snowboard down Everest? He said it was the holy grail of snowboarding downhill. Many people including Sherpa's tried to convince him it was too sketchy, but he ignored them and proceeded to snowboard down Everest never to be seen again. I honestly believe he fell down a hidden crevasse, or went off a cliff. Either way he is a part of the Everest for eternity 😔

While I felt sad on how Sharp died, I sympathized more with the other climbers who tried to help him. I'm kinda crtitical of Sharp now, because it was his third expedition to the Everest and still didn't learn from his last experiences regarding to take supplementary oxigen. If it was a goal of his to reach the summit of Everest, he would've taken that priority first instead of adding difficuty on how to get there (not taking extra oxigen and going solo). And this relates to day-to-day life: We think we can do everything on our own without considering the risks. Sometimes, knowing the extent of our limitations and get a little help doesn't hurt.

Near the summit unable to move is a tragedy but trying to help him down would lead to more deaths this is why its called the death zone.You must get to the summit celebrate briefly and get down as fast as you can which is slow as you are exauhsted even with oxygen.There is no room for error at this altitude.Going alone on Everest was a huge mistake! He took the chance and lost sad but true.

The Sherpas are the real heroes. Please remember that. They are angels on the mountain. Respect from 🇨🇦

Incredible documentary. Thank you for sharing! Mark was NOT responsible, just as the other summiters were not responsible. Sharpe was responsible for himself. I maintain the belief that he went up there knowing he’d die.

How is it possible that these critics are blaming other climbers for Mr. Sharp's risks HE took regarding HIS climb? What's worse, is these critics are blaming a man with prosthetic legs for not hoisting David up and bringing him down! What the hell!?

I've climbed a few smaller mountains in North America but also mountains around 5800 meters in the Andes and believe me, putting a step in front of the other at that altitude was already such a phenomenal effort, I can't imagine trying to help someone get down at 8500 meters 😱

Unbelievable that Sir Edmund criticized Ingles. Sharp decided to climb on his own. Certainly a double amputee couldn’t help him. Max, a Lebanese man who had just summited with Brice’s team even tried giving him some of his oxygen but couldn’t rouse him. Max comes down sobbing because he was torn about Sharp just being left there. It’s too bad that his summit will forever be marred by this tragedy. But when you climb you are told to be prepared for death. You may have a guide with you but they cannot drag you down if you can’t walk. Guides need to POUND that into a members head.

Binge watching Everest Videos. What I took away from this sad story is, when you choose the cheapest option to climb the highest point on earth, you have to live or die with the outcome.

Tsewang Paljor aka Green boots is (was) our Indian Army’s high altitude unit soldier. RIP brother. 🇮🇳🙏🏽

I feel really bad for Mark. It feels selfish to go yourself without oxygen and then put others at risk to help you. That risk is selfish.

David Sharp was possessed by his ambition to summit Everest and No one should be blamed for anothers goals. David Sharp was driven and driven to climb by himself and do what he loved. Everyone knows what risks they are taking on and to blame a Stumpy is absolutely insane and Sir Edmund is off the mark. Just because he was alive the assessment of the ability and probability of conducting an operation to save him were too great.

No one should or has the right to point fingers at climbers for not sacrificing their own safety or summit to rescue others.

Reminds me of a doc i saw on K2 where a guy had died after falling from the bottle neck, and some guys (i think 4) who didnt try to summit went up to bring him back to camp 4 and burry him. But as they were lowering him down the mountain someone slipped and pulled everyone (cos they were tied together), ended up with another person dead because of it (lucky it wasnt more actually). One of the guys was crying angrily because now they lost another. Sometimes its just not worth it!

Blaming mark is more silly than sharp going for a summit push alone with nobody and no radio, nobody’s fault especially a double amputee that barely made it back down himself

I’m dumbfounded that the blame for the death of an able-bodied climber who chose to summit on his own, with no oxygen, at a time of day that would put him at greatest risk, and consequently (one might argue inevitably) got into a state where he simply couldn’t be rescued due to being immobilized by hypothermia & then died - would lie solely (& publicly) on a double amputee & his team of 3 other climbers (without sherpas) who acknowledged that they weren’t equipped to rescue him, and that indeed nobody would be, because David was unable to move. If you can’t move at all (even with assistance) when you’re in the death zone, nothing can be done for you. Is this not the first rule of Everest? How would Sir Ed not know this? How could he single out a double amputee & publicly shame him for not rescuing David, when in fact he ultimately had to be rescued himself? It’s absolutely mind boggling!

There were multiple attempts to help him once they realized he wasn’t dead. The problem was it was very dark when he was initially in trouble and no one saw him. People who did see him thought he was dead because he wasn’t moving or talking or they mistook him for green boots. He went up completely unprepared and recklessly. His mom even said she doesn’t blame anyone for not helping him. And the problem also was he was in the death zone for a long time and if you can’t walk yourself somewhat out of the death zone you are going to die there because rescue or even body recovery just isn’t possible in the death zone. It is every man for themself to an extent He went up there with no radio, no guide, no emerge supplies and no oxygen. He set himself up for failure and unfortunately his death. I strongly disagree with Edmund Hillary. The amount of manpower they would need to get him down just wasn’t possible especially in the death zone. You also have to be mobile enough to aide in your own rescue. David was well past that point. Yes he is a human being but so are the other climbers and their lives matter too. Rescue attempts would have put them in danger. By the time they were trying to help him it was too late. If they had found him earlier maybe they could have attempted but they didn’t. It was dark and he wasn’t moving and it was well known green boots was in that cave. I do commend Sharpe for saying before he understands rescue attempts may not be possible and said it’s okay to prioritize yourself over saving me

I'm not a climber, but it seems to me that everyone who attempts to climb Everest knows the rules and the risks, and thwarting those rules or ignoring those risks are done at your own peril. While it is sad that people have lost their lives, they either knew what they were getting into, and chose to ignore advice, or didn't do enough research and/or training. I live in Phoenix, Arizona, and we have people, often within a group, die almost weekly on our local mountains due to the heat, despite plenty of signs, warnings, and advice along the trail. Ditto the Grand Canyon. Mother Nature doesn't f*ck around.

Somehow I picked up Jon Krakauer's book "Into Thin Air" about 20 years ago. It should be required reading before anyone makes a comment about what anyone else should do when attempting an Everest summit. It's also a great read about a real event. Finished it in one night, couldn't put it down. And now, I shut my mouth and say a silent prayer for the deceased on Everest and the Sherpa community who call the mountain Chomolungma......."Mother of the World"

Counterpoint: one night I watched about 500 nightclubbers walk past a homeless person camping rough in -11F, and I was the only one who called emergency, and they were angry about it. This happens in cities too. Maybe worse morally.

I personally respect Everest in any form. It terrifies me actually. As I'm afraid of heights however I did climb a very small mountain in Alberta where I live. I was beyond stunned at this mountain and the respect I have for it. It's not a very big mountain but wow was it a trek. Then there was a valley with beautiful ice cold clear water I swam in. Then the trek down was way more difficult. But It's a very very amateur mountain compared to most mountains here and British Columbia. The Rocky Mountain range. Beautiful yet brutal.

David Sharp did not use oxygen. He died because of his actions. No one can rescue a climber in the dead zone.

I'm just here to read all the expert comments

Look at Rob Hall they couldn't get him off the mountain and he was able to talk to people but when you're that high up you know the risk. No one should blame anyone period

Nobody is forced to go on that mountain. Climb at your own risk.

43:45 -- Wow. Just wow. It wasn't until this point in the video when I just started to cry. We have some really incredibly people on this planet.

I hold the media accountable for manipulating an elderly Sir Ed into comments that would have broken the hearts of many mountaineers especially Mark Inglis, enraging the ignorant public and using Davids death as leverage to create this toxic story.

Big mistake going up by himself and without communication. That was suicide

RIP David Sharp... The other climbers had no choice or die themselves... I'm sure David understood that, such a tragic story.. But David Sharp knew the risks, sad but true.. RIP mate... X

This is a tragic incident and people are always looking for someone to blame. I hope David can rest in peace and I hope Mark has moved past this and lived without guilt. I truly don't think anyone is at fault, especially not Mark who accomplished an amazing feat being a 2x amputee. David knew the risk he was taking and I don't think he would've wanted others to take undue risk on his behalf either.

I honestly feel like when your team mate is running low on oxygen on the way UP you should tell them to go back and even offer to go with them to keep them safe. Your humanity matters more than reaching the summit.

So people expected a double amputee who took all the necessary safety precautions to risk his life helping an able bodied climber who cheaped-out on his expedition prep and decided to climb alone? In what universe does that make sense?

RIP David Sharp and all the other courageous, ambitious ppl left up there.

Why did he get the blame for not doing anything to help about 30 people walked past him and yet he a person with both his legs gone gets the blame. He had no chance of helping no one did but definitely not him

This whole thing makes me wonder why people do this. I understand the amazing reward of reaching the summit after pushing your limits and being on top of the world literally, but no other part of this seems even slightly enjoyable. You walk past dead bodies, feel sick, cold and completely exhausted and even when you finally reach the summit you're probably worried about frostbite and how you're going to make it back down without dying. Definitely not the greatest risk/reward ratio I've ever come across.

Loving this doc. It's important to hear the whole story.

It would of been impossible to save David Sharp. Two strong experienced Sherpas tried and quickly realized it couldn’t be done. It’s called the “death zone” because if you can’t keep moving you perish. Once, exhaustion sets in and you physically can’t move, you die.

I'm not a climber but just in general it's real easy to criticize someone else when its not you in the situation. I've met alot of "if it was me" and "well I would've done this" people. They talk big because they know they'll never be in that situation

Dziekuje Wam Panom. Szanuje i podziwiam Wasza solidna nature. Z Bogiem. Wracajvie do domu. 🙏👍❤️

bottom line is … everyone knows once you’re up there and on oxygen, there isn’t much you can do to help others in distress. You’re at your limits just helping yourself. Any n everyone who climbs those mountains knows the rules. If u can’t help yourself…you’re dead. blame nobody but yourself

People who are appalled and distraught at the thought of abandoning a dying person at that altitude forget one thing. Above 8000 meters everybody starts dying. Oxygen tanks, mountain clothing, and dexamethasone only TEMPORARILY staves off death and buys you enough time(hopefully) to summit and descend.

In lifesaving they point out "don't just jump in to rescue a drowning man". If you also get into trouble there are now either two to rescue or two deaths not just one. Unless you are in a position to make a safe rescue it is better not to be foolhardy. Surely this applies here just as much.

You can only do so much especially when you are battling a mountain, coldness, and lack of oxygen. Rest easy to the people who have lost their lives to the mountain.

To me David's mothers response of her not blaming Mark for not saving her son, should be the only matter to him.

To whom I dont know or ever met only heard from watching this video "may all rest in peace" from a bottom of my heart😥💜🙏

Sir Ed, did you believe a man with no lower legs was to blame for that mans death. David Sharpe broke every rule in the book so it was no other climbers fault.

I recommend watching the Lincoln Hall story. He was thought to be dead then woke up hours later alone with no supplies or equipment and survived days in the death zone delirious.

It’s very sad indeed but definitely no ones fault. This was David’s third time, he knew the risks, the climate, not taking oxygen and doing it solo is almost arrogant, not respecting the elements which is pretty much rule one. They had experience in seeing this, it was too late and they needed to look after the living. Rip David, so sad.

Even if there was a chance of being able to help, no one was under any obligation to lift a finger. Conditions were/are so dangerous that your risk increases even with a few seconds’ delay, therefore you should have 100% choice over how much risk you personally want to take. And David knew EXACTLY the ENORMOUS risk he was getting into (for that reason, I don’t blame Asian Trekking either).

Mount Everest has become as symbol of selfishness and commercialization. Saying you've reached the top is no longer a badge of honor.

So many issues. Another thing is why would someone who lost two legs after being stuck in a cave by the summit for 13 days, had to be rescued by people who were lucky to survive rescuing him, go back and put more people at risk again. In the cumbrian fells, a man from liverpool camps on red screes, needs rescuing because of a heart condition, a rescuer suffers life changing injuries and the rescuee receives a 200 pound fine. I do not think he should ever be allowed on fells again, and if does and needs rescuing should be left to suffer the consequences of risking it again.

The guy with the prosthetic legs? What an amazing human being. This could’ve been completely about him. Spent the first 25 minutes wondering if I had heard the man right. Is this real footage?

Respect for Sherpa who carried the man with prosthetic legs behind his back.

Sharpe was just too far gone. Another team gave him oxygen and 2 Sherpas tried to get him down, but they couldn't get him beyond the entrance to the cave. He just collapsed so they moved him back inside before they left. That was all anyone could do.

Gran expedición hazaña valentía que Realizaron estos deportistas superando todos los obstáculos en el camino que las familias de los fallecidos puedan haber recuperado a sus seres queridos ayudándoles a sentir ..

Rest in peace all those poor souls on Everest who lost their lives doing what they loved x

When faced with life and death: it cannot be an easy decision for anyone. Everyone climbs at their own perils. If the Sherpas cannot help, its unfair to expect other climbers to. Imagine carrying your own weight and then that of another person who cannot carry themselves. Its a superhuman task and not fair to ask of anyone. Sharp is responsible for his own demise.

When you chose a sport that includes stepping over dead people, using bodies for land markers and leaving dying people behind..you almost gotta expect criticism from people who could never conceive having to do such things.. it's taboo

When you climb up MT Everest you know that death is a big possibility, you can not carry some one down.

Indeed, how can you save others when your life is hanging on a thread too?. That's a tough situation. So blaming the other mountaineers is not acceptable. RIP to all who were left for dead. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Love the way the gentleman called Cowboy described how he felt when he saw david sharp

What a shitty take from Ed. What were they supposed to do? Put the guy on their shoulders and walk him down? That just can’t happen. You literally can’t blame them for not bringing him down, thinking otherwise is just absurd. Lost a bit of respect for Ed for saying that.

David Sharp story reminds me of the Nepali Canadian lady, both of their deaths were blamed on others. No one realizes how frikin stupid decisions they both made. As someone who has done 4 8000ers, i would advice anyone who listens to go with people whom you can trust. When you decide to go alone, YOU are responsible for whatever happens to you over there. No one else.

You go up alone with no oxygen and you consider yourself "Dead" the moment you take the first step. You make it back down? You consider yourself "Lucky". I'm sure David knew this.

Speaking about this event even years later, he looks so broken up about it. You can tell he feels so much guilt for it. It's incredibly sad.

I love anyone who has enough sense of humour to nickname themselves stumpy & gimpy after an incredible hardship like amputation. My kinda ppl

I only have one observation here. Dude's trying to do it pure, okay. Dude didn't leave and wiggle room for error, and the concept of it ACTUALLY going wrong never crossed his mind. My observation is loosely based on the picture of guy still sporting a goatee. When you are at altitude having a proper seal of skin to mask makes even more of a difference because of the outside pressure. When you take a breath, you aren't so much sucking air in as having your lungs inflated by the atmosphere. When you are on oxygen you are adding a content critical gas, but not much pressure. Breathing is labored partly because now you ARE having to suck in air, and the air you are sucking in is far less dense, meaning lower gas content. With a leaking mask, you wind up wasting a ton of gas directly to the atmosphere. So guy wants to climb pure, but he also set everyone else up to fail in rescue should Mr. Murphy rear his ugly head. In a sense, it comes down to "How much are we supposed to get in the way of you getting the Darwin Award you seem to so dearly wish to attain?"

I've never climbed a mountain before so I know nothing about mountaineering, but I have grown up in nature, and the first thing I was taught was to always respect it. Nature isn't something you can just "conquer" and summiting a mountain doesn't mean you've "conquered" it. Not to say mountaineering doesn't take skill and tenacity, I know I don't have the balls to try it, but it seems like a lot of people (mountaineers or not) both in the past and in the present have this arrogance about them and it really bothers me.

THANK YOU LIMITING THE BACKGROUND NOISE.

You take the risk, you pay the price if it goes wrong, nobody’s responsibility apart from your own!

Gran Expedición Hazaña Valentía que Llevaron acabó estos deportistas superando todo tipo de Obstáculos que las familias de los fallecidos puedan haber recuperado a sus seres queridos ayudándoles a sentir lo más hermoso que alcanzaron su objetivo subir la Montaña 🏔 ...

they should all have a meeting at the start, where a mutual agreement is made. "we're all crazy people doing a crazy thing. every man for himself (if need be), and leave everything in the hands of this mountain's creator, who cares not if you're a believer." I am no daredevil, nor am I very religious. but mountain climbing is something nobody's forced into. climbers love what they're doing, and must accept any of it's possible outcomes.

More of Ingles' story than Sharp. I appreciate Cowboy's great compassion.

Oh damnit Hillery, Sharp wasn't dying in front of a convenience store in New York City, he's dying in the Everest Death Zone 😐

How can they blame the poor double amputee guy struggling by him self.

We learned about pasang lamu sherpa in our school .. the brave daughter of everest ..she rests in peace in arms of mother "sagarmatha" the everest . Humanity should not ignore her courage .

Climbing a mountain as violent as an Everest without a radio and alone is nothing less than a suicide.may GOD bless MR David .RIP