Sherpa Who Accompanied Jim Whittaker on First American Everest Dies at 79

Nawang Gombu Sherpa, who accompanied 2009 Mountainfilm special guest Jim Whittaker, during the first American ascent of Mt. Everest in 1963, died on Sunday April 24, 2011.

From Climbing magazine:

Gombu was born in Tibet and was the nephew of Tenzing Norgay, one of the first two men to climb Everest; he was the youngest climbing Sherpa on that 1953 expedition, reaching the South Col. In 1965, Gombu became the first man ever to climb Everest twice, summiting with an Indian expedition.