At 39 years old, Alex Pancoe had climbed mountains in more ways than one.
He survived brain cancer and leukemia, using his experience to fuel a mission to help others. He climbed the highest peaks on seven continents, using his successes to raise money for children battling their own bouts with cancer.
But no one expected his latest climb would be his last.
According to family members, Pancoe, 39, was preparing to climb Makalu Sunday when he went into cardiac arrest, with fellow climbers unable to revive him.
“We are heartbroken by the sudden loss of our teammate and dear friend, Alex Pancoe, who passed away unexpectedly on the evening of May 4th at Camp 2 on Makalu,” Madison Mountaineering wrote on social media. “Alex was sharing a tent with our expedition leader and guide, Terray Sylvester. The two had just finished dinner and were settling into their sleeping bags, chatting casually, when Alex suddenly became unresponsive. Despite hours of resuscitation efforts by Terray and our team of climbers and Sherpa at Camp 2, they were unable to revive him.”
Madison Mountaineering said Pancoe had been in “high spirits” and was “full of energy” in the hours before his passing.
His wife, Nina Pancoe, said she received a satellite phone call shortly after her husband went into cardiac arrest, and says she remains in shock after his sudden loss.
“As I’m sitting here writing this, it doesn’t seem real. I keep thinking you are going to walk through the doors and hug and kiss me and the kids,” she said.
In an emotional message on her Instagram page paying tribute to her late husband, Nina Pancoe said her final text from him read, “I love you.”
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Nina Laski Pancoe (@ninalaski)
Pancoe, who had survived brain cancer, made it his life’s work to raise funds for research, and embarked on an incredible feat of climbing the highest peak on each of Earth’s seven continents. Upon ascending to the top, he would unfurl a Chicago Cubs “W” flag in celebration, and his exploits helped raise thousands of dollars for a variety of charities, including Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
“You died doing something you loved in a place that you loved,” Nina Pancoe said. “People always asked me how could you let him climb, and my response was because it was his passion and something that he absolutely loved.”
In addition to his wife, Pancoe leaves two young children.
“I am shattered knowing Zephyr and Venice will not have you around, but I want you to know I will show them every photo and every video so they know that they had the most amazing Daddy who loved them SO much,” Nina Pancoe wrote. “Through your own battles of having a brain tumor and leukemia you never let that stop you. You lived each day to the fullest making an impact on the world around you. You are the kindest, sweetest, most passionate person I have ever met. I am beyond lost without my Alex.”
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