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Francys (Fran) Arsentiev got famous a little late: she was ambitious and reached the summit of Mt Everest as first american women without supplementary oxygen. She died on the way down from the summit.
Franys Arsentiev, Ölgemälde, Porträt
50 cm * 60 cm, 2018
Fran, the Sleeping Beauty
Her death has been internationally discussed, because the circumstances of her death were tragic and her dead body was visible for years at the main climbing route of Mt. Everest from the North. For this reason she is called “sleeping beauty”.
Fran on Everest
It is assumed that Fran and her husband Sergi spent two nights on 8.200 meters because their ascend trials failed. That alone was very challenging, because the death zone above 8.000 meters should be left as quickly as possible. She was awarded with the spectacular panorama view from the top.
The Mt Everest veteran Ian Woodall, Cathy O’Dowd, and several more Uzbeks encountered Francys Arsentiev while on their way to the summit. Both Woodall and O’Dowd called off their own summit attempts and tried to help Francys for more than an hour. Because of her poor condition, the perilous location, and freezing weather, they were forced to abandon her and descend to camp. Francis Arsentiev is said to have claimed
Do not leave me here to die
She died as they found her, lying on her side, still clipped onto the guide rope. Her husband also died after several attempts to find and rescue her. Presumably Sergi reached Fran once again because his ice axe and rope were found close to her. His dead body was found lower on the mountain face, apparently he was dying from a fatal fall.
Burial
In recent years a picture was shared on the internet wich is said to show Fran Arsentiev body (the pictures must have been taken before 2009).
Francys involuntary became one of the “Mount Everest Bodies” like e.g. David Sharp, Marko Lihteneker or Hannelore Schmatz. Dead bodies on this altitude cannot be recovered so far, because of the little oxygen and the physical strain required.
Ian Woodall initiated and led “The Tao of Everest” expedition in 2007, with the purpose of returning to the mountain to bury the bodies of Francys Arsentiev and Indian climber Tsewang Paljor (“Green Boots”). Woodall dropped Arsentiev’s body to a lower location on the face, removing the body from view.
Francys(Fran) Yarbro Distefano-Arsentiev
Francys (Fran) Yarbro Distefano-Arsentiev was born in 1958 in Honolulu, Hawaii. At six her father took her to the Colorado Mountains. She was forever hooked and continued to conquer mountains.
Franys Arsentiev, Ölgemälde, Porträt
50 cm * 50 cm, 2011
Fran climbed many peaks including the first ascent of Peak Goodwill as well as Denali, the coldest mountain in the world. Francis became the first US woman to ski down Elbrus. In 1992 she married Sergi (Serguei) Arsentiev, a Russian climber. She left behind a son of her first husband: Paul Distefano.
Sergi Arsentiev – the Snow Leopard
Sergi earned the snow leopard name for climbing the five highest mountains in what was then known as the USSR. Sergi summited all three tops on Kangchenjunga in a traverse, an achievement few men on this planet could accomplish. A challenge that most experienced high altitude climbers would not even consider. Sergi was on the elite Russian climbs to Kangchenjunga, Everest and Annapurna.
This painting is part of the set Into thin Air with ten more portraits of climbers. Click for an extensive description.
Source:
does her parents still live?
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Fran Arsentiev asked her son – who was 11 – for permission to go on this journey. This was a frankly stupid thing to do. Not to mention climbing Everest without oxygen when you have a kid.
Read more: http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/05/mt_macabre
Thanks Charlie!
I did not know she had a son …
She leaves behind a son by her first husband. He too has many accomplishments – none of which involve climbing. She was my paternal cousin. Her grandmother was my aunt. We all still bare the sorrow of her death.
Thank you for this information, Mrs. Holman. I would like to express my condolences. Also I will change the article accordingly.
where her parents alive when she died?Does her mother or father still live actually?
does her parents still live?
Thanks for the question, Alexandra, we do not know here. So we either have to wait for a new post or you write me a direct message specifying the intent of your question. This note I could try to forward to Marry Anne. BR, Juergen
Did you have any contact with Paul Distefano as he was growing up? Do you know what he is doing now?
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I want to thank you for sharing this page and portrait. I was traveling through Tibet in may of 1998. and was at base camp on may 22 and 23rd. my group of 5 arrived at base camp early on the morning of the 22 and were told of her summiting but that she was having difficulty breathing. we were in formed that she never made it back to her next camp, that she had collapsed shortly after begining her decent. her husband went on back to get help. as of the afternoon of the 23rd we were told that her husband never returned and that the expidetion assumed the worst. 2 climbers spent the night with her sharing their air tanks. but they were not going to attempt to move her. 2 sherpas made an attempt but she was unable to move herself. in the end they stayed with her until she died. and then returned down.
my friends and I returned to rungbok monestary and asked the monks to preform a long life prayer. we sat in the monestary well into the evening. it was all we felt we could do.
her death and her husbands has stuck with me these last 14 years. there is not a day that goes by and I don’t think about listening to the sherpas explain over the radio that she has stopped breathing and that they are now going to leave her body. I just wanted to share this. she did not die alone. and her presence has been felt. and her loss has been an important part of my life.
Dear Josh,
I was really touched reading your comment! I imagine it is really hard to cope with this sorry. I am glad if my painting may help you a little.
Best regards, Juergen
What a touching comment, thank you for sharing.
After almost 10 years since you wrote this, Thanks for sharing.
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You are welcome Juergen – good luck to you in all your work.
This woman lived in my state of Colorado…..I was so distraught to read this story and the drama that surrounded it…wouldn’t it be something, like in Romeo and Juliet, that when Sergei found his love of his life dead that he just did not have the will to live on and left his pick axe and rope to join her……………I don’t know if i could live with myself if i did not try to help in some way after hearing her pleas of please don’t leave me……….so sad.
Cynthia Andersen
Thank you for the very touching comment!
Very touching, and nice painting from the picture.. I would like to more about these people too.. What a life…!
such a sad ending to a beautiful love story…thank you so much for sharing this picture….I will want to know more about both of these people…peace and positive energy to you..Michaela
Thank you, Michaela! Likewise …