Once you go into Himalayas you will want to come back over and over again. When you start trekking at first, when lack of the oxygen kicks in and you feel miserable and every step up might as well be a mile you question yourself: this is my time off; I should be on the beach somewhere drinking beer and relaxing. And next day is not easier by any means. And than you summit something small and you catch a bug. Every time you climb you smile and you are looking forward to aches and pains. And you want to summit higher and higher mountains until there is nothing left but Everest.

I've been to Nepal twice and worked as a medical professional on Everest and just did trekking on Annapurna Circuit. You can't describe the desire to summit the mountain that you see in peoples eyes. I've talked to both people who were going up and people who were coming down. I shook hands and drank tea with sherpas who summited Everest in double digits. Most of them know what they are getting into and whoever is cutting corners by not setting right camps, right lead ropes, being tied up or going up to fast knows the dangers and consciously chooses so for whatever reasons. Some are reckless, some work under time constrains and some have summit fever.

But in the end it boils down to the expedition money and sponsorship. It takes a pretty penny to get up there and most likely it is your only chance in the lifetime. When greed and desire overcome everything else what makes us human than tragedy happens.

Two years ago (may 06) American climber gave up his chance to summit in order to help a Canadian who was left behind to die by his buddies. This is the last you've heard of American climber since he lost his chance to go to the top. He saved a life of a stranger giving up his dreams. He did a noble thing but it costed him dearly. Many people shook his hand just to laugh behind his back. In the end I was trying to look him up and I don’t thing he was back on Everest as of yet.

And about your Marine... It has nothing to do with stamina or conditioning. His heart is in a different place than a heart of a climber. He knew when to quit because the mountain had no meaning for him. He valued his life and his family more than he valued a piece of rock. I bet you he would die for his country and his family just like some climbers would die trying to summit Everest.

I really do love Himalayas and hope that one day I will be able to summit the Everest.