Ringmer man rises to '˜brutal' challenge posed on Everest trek

A man has returned from one of the most inhospitable places on the planet after raising more than £8,500 for charity.
Kevin Miller suffered from hallucinations and his face froze to his sleeping bagKevin Miller suffered from hallucinations and his face froze to his sleeping bag
Kevin Miller suffered from hallucinations and his face froze to his sleeping bag

Refuse collector Kevin Miller, 52, took on the challenge of The Himalayas – and conditions he decribed as “brutal” – in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

An epic trek took him from what’s dubbed one of the most dangerous airports in the world to the southern Everest Base Camp of the world’s highest mountain.

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Kevin landed at Lukla Airport in Nepal to trek 74 kilometres to his goal, located at an altitude of 5,364 metres above sea level, braving a chill factor of -35C.

He was one of a party of 26, raising money for various charities, who lived in tents for 10 days and had to consume seven litres of water each a day – all of which had to be carried with them.

The dedicated fund-raiser said: “I have done some extreme things in my time but this was brutal.

“It was mentally as well as physically challenging. The cold was immense. My face would stick to the edge of my sleeping bag.”

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With oxygen levels extremely low, Kevin found himself suffering from hallucinations.

“It was a life-changing experience, but I would do it again,” he said. “We all agreed it had been our toughest challenge.”

Cystic Fibrosis is a cause close to the heart of Kevin, of Foxglove Close, Ringmer. He lost two brothers to the disease – Michael at the age of 19 and Keith at the age of just six months.

He paid tribute to the “amazing” support he had received from local individuals and businesses and can still be sponsored by going to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kevin-millers-cf-everest-trek

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Now the Lewes District Council employee is getting up at 3am training for the London Marathon on April 28, raising money for Dementia Revolution, an amalgamation between Dementia UK and the Alzheimers Society.