A Calgary woman says she's very proud of her husband for being part of a team that saved an Australian climber who was left for dead on Mount Everest.
Andrew Brash, seen here, was described by his wife as a very compassionate person.
INDEPTH: Canadians and Mount Everest
"I know he feels he made the right decision," Jennifer Brash said of her husband Andrew. "He was very close to the summit, but more importantly, he did the right thing for this climber," she told CBC News on Saturday.
Lincoln Hall reached the summit on Thursday and was descending with his Russian-led expedition when he reportedly became delirious, a sign of fluid on the brain, and could not be moved. His wife and teenage sons had been told he had died.
Hall spent the night alone at an elevation of 8,700 metres, before other climbers including the Calgarian found him the next morning.
Brash's group gave Hall tea, oxygen and a radio for communication. Hall later received medical attention from Sherpas who moved him to a warm tent.
On Saturday, Hall was able to walk into the advanced base camp, 6,400 metres above sea level. He was being treated for frostbite and cerebral edema — swelling to the brain caused by altitude sickness.
Calgarian was close to summit
Brash was only 200 metres from the summit when he decided to abandon his climb and help the Australian, his wife said.
It was Brash's second attempt in the last two weeks to reach the top of the world's tallest mountain.
"I'm sure he has some mixed emotions, maybe not right now, but in the future he might, and it will probably haunt him for the rest of his life," she said.
"But I know that he'll be happy with his decision, and it's a greater achievement than actually reaching the summit, to be part of saving someone's life."
The rescue of the Australian mountaineer follows the well-publicized and controversial death of another Everest climber last week.
David Sharp of England died on the mountain of apparent oxygen deprivation, and reports have alleged that more than 40 fellow mountaineers opted not to assist him despite his situation.