Exactly, that’s why the people calling him selfish are wrong.
Most likely he expected to be back in time to see his child born, since she was born pre-mature he was already on his way up, or about to be. At this point would you throw away 80 grand and come back down, knowing you wouldn’t even be back in time to see your child born?
The baby was born three days before he died. Family did not want to worry him so plans to share the news when he got back. So he never learned he had a daughter.
I don’t judge the guy one way or another...these climbs require mega months of planning not to mention preparation. Plus his wife and he certainly made that decision together. So it was “theirs”. Not to mention all the other mountains he’s climbed..so it was something he did with some frequency. I suspect she knew he was a climber before they married.
The baby was born three days before he died. Family did not want to worry him so plans to share the news when he got back. So he never learned he had a daughter.
I don’t judge the guy one way or another...these climbs require mega months of planning not to mention preparation. Plus his wife and he certainly made that decision together. So it was “theirs”. Not to mention all the other mountains he’s climbed..so it was something he did with some frequency. I suspect she knew he was a climber before they married.
Nothing is more important than your family.
He was selfish to book the trip to start with. He not only had a pregnant wife but he had two other children under the age of five. Those kids need a dad who is there to help them grow up.
People talk about the $80,000. He obviously was a rich man so the impact of losing the $80,000 is immaterial to the moral choice he made. He took $80,000 from the family wealth bucket to spend on his dream. So now the $80,000 is gone and so is he.
As someone else pointed out when young children lose their dads because of war or in the line of duty of being a firefighter or policeman it is really tragic. Those kid have a hard time understanding how duty could be more important than them. This was not duty. He risked his life on an adventure and lost the gamble. Now his kids will miss out on his relationship for the rest of their lives.