Max responded to our questions by e-mail from his home in Lebanon in March 2007.
First, congratulations on conquering the Seven Summits! I'm sure each mountain has its own challenges, but what was unique for you about Everest?
Well, thanks!
Sure, each mountain does have its own challenges, and some are more difficult than others, but nonetheless, no peak—"seven summit" or not—can be taken lightly. Each deserves respect, and should never be taken for granted. I kept reminding myself of that all the way up and down the mountain.
Oddly enough, it was on the Carstensz Pyramid—the lowest of the Seven Summits—that I felt my life most threatened due to the very technical aspect of some of the pitches and the very wet conditions I encountered on the descent.
In the case of Everest, I knew that nothing could be taken for granted and that any small mishap could jeopardize my chances of summiting, let alone my life. Chomolungma is not to be toyed with. Although it may not be as technical as some other 8,000-meter peaks, its sheer height greatly magnifies any problem that is not dealt with immediately. That is what makes it unique and that is why I kept it for last. I don't regret that decision, especially after seeing up close what can happen up there when things start to go wrong.
Has your experience on Everest changed you? It was clear you were forced to deal with a difficult situation you didn't expect.
In one sense I haven't really changed. On the outside, I am still the same person that my friends and family have always known. In another sense, I have changed — quite significantly I may add. There are important transformations that occur deep within you after climbing that mountain. Anyone who has been to the summit of Everest and returned has inevitably got to experience inner changes. In my case, a lot of my thinking is definitely different after climbing Chomolungma. Better and wiser I'd like to think.
You invariably come back from that mountain with a fresh new look at life in general. You no longer worry as much about the futile little things that we all too often make a fuss about pointlessly. Also, you become a good deal more humble and increasingly aware and thankful of all those blessings that we sometimes take for granted in our daily lives. In my case, I even became more of a believer and I am ever more thankful each day for everything that we are given in life.
As for the experience that I had to deal with while returning from the summit, it is precisely what you described it: unfortunate and totally unexpected. I have come over it now, and the fact that I truly tried my very best there and then makes me at peace with my conscience. I am convinced that there was absolutely nothing more Dorjee (my Sherpa) and I could have done for this man given the state he was in when we saw him.
"May the good Lord rest his soul in peace" is what I told his mother, and may God give her and the rest of the family the strength and courage to overcome this tragedy.
The film captured how you felt immediately after summiting. How do you feel now? Is there a letdown after such an intense experience?
I feel relieved, thankful and glad it's all over without mishap for me.
Yes, looking back at the footage taken at top camp and at the bottom of the ice cliff on the glacier on May 15, I was definitely devastated and still in tears. I thought I had cried everything out at top camp before descending farther, but I kept thinking about that guy, and wondering if, like me, he had a family and children who will never see their father again. It took awhile for me to accept the reality of this tragedy, and come to grips with myself.
Again, it's a shame that I had to go through these tough and trying times exactly when I should have been rejoicing. I had just summited Everest and finished climbing the last of my continental summits. Perhaps this was a message for me from the heavens that not everyone was as lucky as I was, and that is why I feel I should be thankful that all my expeditions were carried out without major problems.
There came a time immediately after my return when one could perhaps speak of a "letdown," especially that my country (Lebanon) witnessed a horrible war just six weeks later. But I have readjusted to my new "post-Everest" life now, and putting my experience to good use by motivating the young generation in the region brings me immense personal satisfaction.
How do you feel about reaching the summit first, and coming back with no injuries?
Thankful, very thankful. I am thankful for that magic hand that guided me all the way up—and down—the mountain, or rather the mountains.
When I stepped outside my tent at Camp 4 just before midnight on May 14, I felt how cold it was and quickly understood that I needed to "steal" the summit and come back down as swiftly as possible to minimize the risk of frostbite. Thank God I was able to do just that, and Dorjee, the 23-year-old Tibetan Sherpa who accompanied me, was able to do the same despite the fact that, like me, it was his first attempt at Everest. Back at ABC (Advanced Base Camp), Dorjee told me that he would never do it again.
How did your encounter with the dying man affect you? Do you regret anything?
It did affect me very much on May 15, that’s for sure. At the time, despite feeling very good and able, both physically and mentally, my oxygen-starved brain could not accept the fact that I had to leave someone to die alone up there without being able to administer any help whatsoever. It is a sure fact that he was way closer to death than he was to life when I saw him, and although I am not a doctor, I am convinced that he couldn't have been saved even if he happened to be in the ICU in a competent hospital in a big city. He was unconscious, and did not respond at all to the oxygen Dorjee and I gave him. Today, I think of this incident in a different manner.
I regret that he had to die that way, and that he was in that very advanced stage when I happened to come across him. I regret that when I saw him, it was way too late for me to do anything to make him feel better, let alone save him. After more than an hour beside him, I made sure there was absolutely nothing I could do before giving up. It was very tough to finally leave him behind and resume my descent, but that was the one and only option. Besides saving a life and having him among his family and friends now, imagine the tremendous reward it would have been for me if only I was given the chance to do something for that man!
Will you go back to Everest? Why?
Upon my return home last May, among others, I visited our prime minister in his office. He asked me that same question. I replied positively saying that although climbing Everest again isn't on my immediate agenda, I wouldn't turn down an offer if it were to present itself. I went on to say that if I were given the chance to climb Sagarmatha a second time, I would probably do it from the southern Nepali side this time. He listened to me attentively, and when I was done, he spent the next 10 or 15 minutes calmly convincing me otherwise...
Are you planning any new adventures?
I am currently in the midst of a new adventure: convincing the young generation in my country and the region that nothing is impossible if you really put your mind to it. I have at least two speaking engagements per week for the next couple of months and they keep coming. Last week I even toured schools and universities in Egypt, and late last year in Jordan.
Everest is 8,850 meters tall, and once you have reached the top and come back safely, you've made it, and you can't possibly climb any higher. With this new adventure I am living now—it seems the sky is the limit. The new generation is full of talent and most of it is often underestimated. Anything I can do to inspire the young is definitely worth my time. "There’s an Everest for everyone" is the title of my presentation, and I tell listeners that it doesn't have to be climbing a mountain, or even a physical activity, but that there is a place for those who dare to dream, and dreams can come true with determination, hard work and perseverance.
Now, for the answer you were looking for: Indeed I am planning new adventures! Ever since my return in May 2006, I have been tied up in speaking engagements, not only at schools and universities, but also at large multinational companies and organizations in Lebanon and abroad. However, I still find the time to train as hard every day, even when I am traveling. For sure, Antarctica is a fascinating place I'd like to experience again, and it won't be long before I visit the white continent.
Right now, I am in Chamonix, France. I will set off tomorrow for the "Haute Route," a one-week ski tour that ends in Zermatt, Switzerland. My team and I will be sleeping in cozy mountain huts scattered across the Alps. A luxury compared to the freezing tents at North Col! We hope to reach Zermatt on Thursday, and the very next day I fly to London for a presentation at a financial company on Friday afternoon. So, I haven't quite decided that it is time to hang up my boots yet, and besides climbing, I'd like to think that I am making good use of my experience in the mountains.
How has your experience affected your relationships with others (at home and those you met on the mountain)? Are loved ones concerned about you? Why?
I am perhaps more understanding, tolerant and patient with others now, be it at home or elsewhere. This did not come about only from climbing Everest, but equally from all the other expeditions that I carried out across the globe on a regular basis since the year 2003 (http//:www.audi7summits.com).
In my case, being the first in my country to raise the national flag on Everest has brought about considerable fame and recognition. The fact that I am seen as a role model by many, especially the young, means that I constantly have to make a genuine effort to try to set a good example at all times. I am increasingly aware of that.
For sure, I had the most amazing time during all of my expeditions and will never forget a single moment of it all. I made some great friends, not least those I met on Everest, including the Tigress Production crew filming for Discovery. I did appreciate their kindness and good nature, and congratulate this very professional team on their remarkable final product. Some have described the series as "the best ever shot on a mountain," and I certainly back that claim.
Sure, loved ones must have worried about me, especially in the case of Everest when for the first time my kids said to me, "Please be safe, Dad." Not that they didn’t worry when I was on other peaks, but my apparent apprehension prior to leaving for Everest must have seeped in and made them realize that this must be serious.
I have to give credit to my wife Poupa as well. She has been exemplary in backing me up. I certainly wouldn't have been able to climb the Seven Summits, ski to both poles and carry out all of these expeditions had she been the type of woman who worries unnecessarily about her husband.
The fact that Poupa has always thought that I am indestructible and that I will invariably come back home helped. Of course, this idea is totally wrong, but that way of thinking played to my advantage and I never tried to prove her wrong on it. Instead, I'd hope she would never find out how dangerous climbing mountains can really be.
Also, the fact that I carried out several expeditions, all of them successful, thank God, and the fact that after each one I would return home with great stories, footage and pictures of faraway places as well as small, unusual gifts to her and both my children, Edgard and Kelly, helped. Not only was I acquiring the necessary skills, experience and wisdom to climb higher, but I was also building up their confidence and trust.
My parents and the rest of the family ought to be given credit, too. They must have had their share of worrying and I thank them for their understanding and support.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Just a word of thanks to all those who supported me and continue to do so. I am especially thankful to that person from Bank Audi (my partner in the Seven Summits odyssey) who gave the green light for the project back in 2003 without even seeing me! If it weren't for this man's extraordinary vision, I wouldn't be here right now. This is why, on a daily basis when people recognize me in public places and thank me, I turn around in my heart and thank those who supported me, and in particular that man who doesn’t like to be named.
I hope to be able to pass on the favor some day in my lifetime, by giving someone else a similar opportunity.
Is there anything else you'd like people to know about the film, Everest and your experience there?
Perhaps a word of advice for those who are thinking of climbing Everest: Prepare, train and experiment on lower mountains first. Just because anyone can buy a permit or join an expedition on Everest doesn't mean it is as simple to stand on top and return safely. As an analogy, I may have a dream to drive a Formula One car, but without the proper training I would probably kill myself before completing the very first lap.
And for those who have acquired the necessary skills, experience and wisdom to attempt Everest, Edward Whimper's words sum it up best: "Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are naught without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end."
