My name is Jeff Witt, and myself and Jim Williams have made multiple expeditions to the Khumbu region of the Nepalese Himalaya. Along the way, we have become friends with a kind man named Mote Dawa Sherpa, who has worked on several of our expeditions as a climbing Sherpa. A few days ago we were incredibly saddened to find out that Mote and his family have lost their youngest son, Nawang, who drowned in the river below their village. Nawang was 12 years old.

The cost of the traditional Sherpa funeral process is very expensive, sometimes taking a seasonal or even yearly salary. It involves 49 days of mourning, ceremonies and pujas in which local monks are hired, and offering feasts to their entire village through the process. We are reaching out to raise to funds to cover this expense; any additional funds received will go directly to pay for the education of their 2nd son, Lhakpa, who is 15 years old.

To describe the grief that Mote's family is experiencing goes beyond words. I sat with the family just four days before the accident, receiving such kind and gracious hospitality from a family that makes less money in a year, then we might in just a few weeks. We wish to raise as much as possible by the end of October, so I can personally deliver money to the family. Anything above the costs of the funeral process will be held by Jim Williams, and go to directly to Lhakpa's school to pay for his continued education. Both of us being close to the local Sherpa community, we have the ability to make sure all proceeds will directly benefit the family, and will ensure that this is so.

Thank you so much for making a donation, every dollar counts and my gratitude goes beyond words. The family is already incredibly thankful for the amount we have been able to provide to get them through the first week of mourning the loss of their beloved son.