Renowned mountaineer and adventure filmmaker David Breashears, celebrated for his notable IMAX documentary chronicling the ascent of Mount Everest, has passed away at the age of 68.
Breashears was discovered unresponsive at his residence in Massachusetts on Thursday, with his business manager Ellen Golbranson confirming that he passed away from natural causes.
She added that “the exact cause of death remains unknown at this time”.
Breashears was a seasoned mountaineer who conquered some of the world’s most formidable peaks. Alongside his mountaineering exploits, he also lent his expertise as a cinematographer, contributing to documentaries and feature films.
According to his website, in 1983, Breashears made history by transmitting the inaugural live television images from the summit of Everest. Moreover, in 1985, he achieved another milestone by becoming the first American to reach the summit twice.
Breashears’ family disclosed that he successfully summited Mount Everest a total of five times, further solidifying his reputation as a seasoned mountaineer.
“He combined his passion for climbing and photography to become one of the world’s most admired adventure filmmakers,” they said in a statement.
Breashears is most renowned for his involvement in the 1998 IMAX documentary titled “Everest,” which he co-directed and co-produced. The film portrays the arduous journey of a group of mountaineers endeavoring to conquer the summit of the world’s tallest peak, standing at 8,850 meters (29,035 feet).
Tragically, while filming the documentary in May 1996, Breashears and his team encountered a devastating blizzard that claimed the lives of eight climbers.
In 2007, Breashears established GlacierWorks, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about Himalayan glacier changes “through art, science, and adventure,” as described on its Facebook page.
His family said “he used his climbing and photography experience to create unique records revealing the dramatic effects of climate change on the historic mountain range”.
