Kellam Conover, known as Kelly, died in a fall on Aoraki/Mt Cook on Monday.
Kellam Conover, known as Kelly, died in a fall on Aoraki/Mt Cook on Monday.
The heartbroken mother of a climber who died while trying to climb Aoraki Mt Cook this week has described him as “extraordinary in many ways”.
Pamela Conover is grappling with the immense grief of losing her son, Kellam Conover, all while being on the other side of the world ather home in North Carolina.
Kellam, from the United States, and his Wānaka-based mountain guide, Thomas Vialletet, were part of a group of four climbers trying to ascend Aoraki Mt Cook on Monday night.
The pair, connected by a rope, fell close to the summit.
Pamela Conover said Kellam, who she affectionately called Kelly, was an introvert, but he found it easy to navigate the world by “making good friends and being kind and thoughtful with them”.
She said climbing had not come naturally to her son, who suffered from altitude sickness as a child while trying to climb the Matterhorn with his father and brother.
Kellam never wanted to climb the highest peaks, she said. Instead, he found tremendous peace and joy in connecting with nature in some of the most beautiful and majestic mountains in the world.
As an adult, he decided to give climbing another try, and arrived in New Zealand.
He met Vialletet, who grew up in the French Alps and co-owned Wānaka mountain and ski guide company Summit Explorers, when they climbed together two years ago.
Kellam, a 44-year-old lawyer from Washington DC, was remembered as a much-appreciated role model in his field.
Kellam Conover, 44, was a lawyer in Washington DC.
He mentored junior colleagues, taking time with them and explaining things.
But most importantly, he made them feel valued, his mother said.
“It did not surprise me that, in remembering him, his colleagues stressed his kindness and generosity.
“On legal teams, he was known for his positive can-do energy, collegiality and his brilliance in crafting winning arguments.”
Outside work, he was unfailingly generous in spirit with his friends and family.
He was an accomplished violinist who began playing at age 3 and, as an adult, played in various quartets.
More recently, he had taken up piano and was taking lessons.
Pamela Conover said her son just loved being in the world.
“He lived in downtown Washington DC, and much enjoyed walking all around the city.
“He was a fabulous cook and relished finding new and interesting restaurants.
“His favourite author was Marcel Proust. A few years ago, he was rereading In Search of Lost Time and carried the last volume with him to read when he was climbing and hiking between huts.
“He was a wickedly good pool shark at 9-ball, and he passionately followed the exploits of the University of North Carolina Tarheel basketball team his whole life, proudly wearing Tarheel T-shirts to the gym.”
She had been left “utterly shattered” by her son’s death, but found solace in knowing he died doing what he loved.
“As a parent, I am, of course, utterly shattered, absolutely heartbroken by his death.
