Source: Apa Sherpa Foundation website
Lhakpa Tenzing Sherpa was born in Thame, a village in the Everest region of Nepal near the Chinese border. At the age of 3 months, he and his mother were caught in an avalanche and Lhakpa was thrown from the basket on his mother’s back and came to rest under an ice ledge. After his mother found him unhurt, she took him to the Lama to pray and give thanks. It was at this point where Lhakpa was renamed “Apa” which means much loved. Apa always wanted to be a doctor, but his dreams were shattered when at the age of 12 his father died. Following his father’s death, Apa had to take up the responsibilities of his family, consisting of his mother, two sisters, and three younger brothers. He dropped out of school and started working as a porter for mountaineering groups. His climbing career began in 1985, when he worked as a kitchen boy and porter for various groups but was not given the opportunity to reach the summit of Mount Everest until May 10, 1990 with a team led by Rob Hall, along with Peter Hillary, the son of Sir Edmund Hillary.
He then began his career as Sirdar, or chief Sherpa, for many high-altitude expeditions. He reached the summit every year between 1990 and 2011, bar 1996 and 2001. And in 1992, he reached the summit twice. In 1996, Apa was scheduled to climb with Rob Hall and his team, but Apa’s wife Yangjin convinced him to stay home to build their lodge. This turned out to be a fateful decision when sadly Rob Hall and others perished in the climb.
Apa, who was born in poverty, has climbed Mount Everest a total of 21 times, which stands as the current world record. He struggled greatly to obtain a modest education in his youth and worked diligently to provide for his family amidst difficult economic circumstances.
In 1988, Apa married Yangjin, then also a resident of Thame, with whom he has two sons — Tenjing and Pemba — and a daughter Dawa. The family moved to the United States with the help of his friend Jerry Mika for business opportunities and to provide better education for their children. They live in Draper, Utah.
In April 2009, Apa founded the Apa Sherpa Foundation, dedicated to the improvement of education and economic development in Nepal. When not on expeditions, Apa works for Diamond Mold, a precision machining and injection molding company in Salt Lake City, Utah, which has also supported his foundation.
The foundation’s mission is to empower individuals throughout the world to follow the example of Apa Sherpa in overcoming adversity.
The Apa Sherpa Foundation seeks to build on Apa’s legacy by laying the foundations of strength, starting with where they live, in Apa’s home village in Thame, Nepal, and then outwards from there.
With education and experience, individuals go on to lead strong families, communities and ultimately, nations. The Apa Sherpa Foundation embraces all methods, projects and groups working toward this goal.
HOW ASF HELPS: Since 2010, the foundation has relentlessly striven to provide a positive path for the people it serves. It is a non-profit organization on a mission to support disadvantaged individuals in Nepal. They provide for their basic necessities of food, shelter, clothing, and schooling, empowering them to improve their quality of life and reach their potential.
Every contribution makes a difference! To learn more about how you can help rescue Nepalese children from deplorable living conditions and give them the gift of education and a better, brighter future, go to their website! https://www.apasherpafoundation.org/