David Breashears, a mountaineer, author and filmmaker who co-directed and co-produced a 1998 IMAX documentary about climbing Mount Everest, has died, his business manager confirmed on Saturday. He was 68.
Breashears was found unresponsive at his home in Marblehead, Massachusetts, on Thursday, Ellen Golbranson said.
She said he died of natural causes but ‘the exact cause of death remains unknown at this time.’
Breashears was one of the most influential Americans in the world of Himalayan mountaineering summiting Mount Everest five times, including with the IMAX camera in 1996, his family said.
Mountaineer, filmmaker and author David Breashears, 68, died on Thursday, at his home in Marblehead, Massachusetts
David Breashears is seen behind the camera during the 1996 filming on Everest
The film, Everest, generated more than $120 million in revenue, and transformed Breashears into something of a celebrity
‘He combined his passion for climbing and photography to become one of the world’s most admired adventure filmmakers,’ the family said in a written statement.
In 2007, Breashears founded GlacierWorks, which describes itself on Facebook as a nonprofit organization that ‘highlights changes to Himalayan glaciers through art, science, and adventure.’
‘With GlacierWorks, he used his climbing and photography experience to create unique records revealing the dramatic effects of climate change on the historic mountain range,’ his family said.
In 1983, Breashears transmitted the first live television pictures from the summit of Everest.
Two years later, in 1985 he became the first U.S. citizen to reach the summit twice.
Breashears and his team were filming the Everest documentary when the May 10, 1996, blizzard struck the mountain, killing eight climbers.
He and his team stopped filming to help the climbers.
David Breashears is pictured while filming the IMAX documentary ‘Everest’ that premiered in 1998
Breashears summited Everest five times and founded GlacierWorks to address climate change’s impact on Himalayan glaciers
Breashears pioneering achievements include transmitting live TV images from Everest’s summit in 1983
His IMAX film chronicled his 1996 expedition to the peak alongside fellow American guide Ed Viesturs.
It explored the training that mountaineers endure prior to their expeditions, and the hazards they encounter along their route to the top.
The film, Everest ,generated more than $120 million in revenue, and transformed Breashears into something of a celebrity.
Over the decaded Breashears helped millions of people learn about Mount Everest through his films and broadcasts.
Breashears, who grew up in Boulder, Colorado said he was the 135th person to reach the top of the world, and the experience forever changed him.
‘Looking back to 1983, it almost seems quaint. We had the entire south side of the mountain to ourselves, and not only did I know who my teammates were, but I also knew they had come to Everest with the careful preparation, experience and thorough training to climb it,’ he told Frontline.
‘I remember feeling much closer to the mountain then, more in tune with the experience.’