In an age where fame is a cheap and nasty commodity, in a society where Paris Hilton is a household name, it's easy to forget that in the past, people became famous through accomplishment and endeavour.
In a previous generation, individuals had to achieve something quite extraordinary before
they appeared on newsreels or in the newspapers.
But then as now, fame demanded as much as it gave. Fame could open doors and present extraordinary opportunities but it also meant that an individual's life became the property of the people, and the ability to live an ordinary life became next to impossible.
Sir Edmund Hillary never sought fame. Our most extraordinary New Zealander, the first man to conquer Mt Everest, along with Tenzing Norgay, was an adventurer and explorer. But knocking off Everest meant life for Sir Ed would never be the same again. It's what the beekeeper from Auckland did as the result of his fame that has made him so worthy of the accolades and respect he's received.
He continued his adventures, he worked and fundraised extensively for the people of Nepal and he served as New Zealand's High Commissioner in India. He used every opportunity he had to give back.
It must have been difficult for his family to have to share him - not only with New Zealanders, but with the world. However, Sir Ed never gave the impression that meeting strangers was a chore.
I saw him give a speech a year or so ago. He was a wonderful public speaker and it was inspirational to be around him. One of the team who'd arranged to have Sir Ed speak had brought his children to meet the legendary New Zealander and after his talk, Sir Ed was happy to pose for pictures with the kids and spend time chatting to them.
I hope they treasure the photos. For it will be a long time before we see the like of this man again.
To the young ones, he was probably just another nice old man, just like their grandad. And that is the secret to Sir Ed's extraordinary charisma: that a hero and a superman can be just another grandad.
