Coincidentally, I used to work with the deceased climber...really weird and sad to hear about it. He leaves behind a wife and kids.

But to my current co-worker, I said, 'Do you have any desire to climb Everest?' (He's an outdoors enthusiast.)

He said, 'The only way I ever try Everest or anything even remotely close to that level of risk, is if I lose my entire family and other loved ones to a freak airplane accident - and I don't have anything to live for anymore.'

I found that reply to be pretty poignant.