Abenojar: Injured Sherpa saved my life twice, needs treatment

Dale Abenojar, the adventure sportsman who claims to be the first Filipino to have reached the summit of Mt. Everest, says he will be bringing home with him an injured Sherpa guide who helped him accomplish his reported feat.

Abenojar wants 21-year-old Pasang Sherpa to receive specialized medical treatment for his gangrene-infected toes.

Abenojar said that he and his friend Robin Mendoza are currently making travel arrangements to bring the Sherpa with them to Manila.

"I’m not leaving him here (in Nepal) to deal with his injuries alone. He saved my life twice on Mt. Everest so I want to repay the favor," Abenojar told The STAR by telephone.

Abenojar said he and Pasang both suffered frostbite during their trek up Mt. Everest’s difficult north face.

He said his left big toe is still under medical observation to guard against gangrene, an infection that could spread and become fatal if not treated early.

Nine of Pasang’s toes have gangrene.

"If I’m suffering excruciating pain just in my left big toe, I can just imagine the pain Pasang is suffering from the gangrene in his nine toes," Abenojar said.

He said he formed a deep bond with Pasang who assisted him in conquering the world’s highest mountain.

"I will never forget him. I will never forget what he did for me, what we went through. If not for him, I may never be alive today to say that I have reached the top of the world," he said.

He is also looking forward to seeing his family. "I miss my wife and kids."

Abenojar claimed to have reached the summit two days ahead of celebrated climbers Heracleo "Leo" Oracion and Erwin "Pastour" Emata of the 1st Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition.

Abenojar earlier produced a certificate from the Mountaineering Association of Tibet of the Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China indicating that he had reached the summit at 10:45 a.m. on May 15.

Oracion and Emata reached the summit on May 17 and 18, respectively.

However, doubts have dogged Abenojar’s claim. Abenojar has admitted that he had no prior alpine mountain climbing experience when he flew to Kathmandu to fulfill a life-long dream.

Abenojar did not say if his Sherpa guide would substantiate his feat.