SEATTLE — For the first time, we're hearing from the family of the Seattle man who died while climbing Mount Everest earlier this week.
Dr. Jonathan Sugarman, 69, died at Camp 2, which is just under 21,000 feet in elevation.
"You know he really lived a great life,” said Dr. Sugarman’s daughter, Maya Sugarman.
On Saturday, KING 5 spoke exclusively with Maya as she reflected on the good times she spent with her father.
"Unfortunately, most of us do have to go through losing a parent at some point and I think the only thing you can really turn to, to get some comfort, is the good memories, the lessons and the fun and everything along the way," said Maya.
She described her father as a man of the mountains and a mountain of a man.
"He climbed Rainier 13 times, he climbed Denali, which is the highest mountain in North America, Aconcagua in South America, did a number of expeditions in Nepal and felt that he had all of the skills and experience to make an attempt to summit Everest," she said.
Dr. Sugarman was pursuing his goal of summiting Everest during this recent expedition. But unfortunately, May 1 would mark his last.
"This was really, really shocking to our family, I can't begin to describe what a terrible day that was. Worst day of my life," said Maya.
Maya said the family was notified by the expedition group and the consulate of Nepal of her father's death. She believes altitude sickness could've played a role in his passing.
"Passed while doing something that he loved so much that we know he had done everything he could in preparation for this journey, that he was passionate and this was him pursuing a dream," said Maya.
It's her father's motivation of following those dreams that she'll take with her.
"He got so much joy from the journey that he took, and I think he would wish that spirit of adventure and discipline and pursuit of goals to others and I know as his daughter that's what I aspire to as well," Maya said.
Maya said the family was able to retrieve his body from Camp 2 and are in the process of planning a memorial.