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Young and old, in wheelchairs and on crutches, they came to pay their respects.
Crowds started to gather by the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell yesterday morning more than an hour before the hearse carrying Sir Edmund Hillary's casket was due to arrive.
The line snaked from the
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, spilling on to St Stephens Ave and on to Parnell Rd, a 500-strong line of people in rainjackets clutching umbrellas as shelter against the temperamental skies.
Saffron-robed monks from all over the Buddhist world would come to pay their respects. In death, as in life, Sir Ed brought people together.
As the wellwishers stood behind a metal barrier on St Stephen's Ave, it appeared no amount of rain could dampen their admiration.
"If he climbed a mountain in a blizzard, the least we can do is come out in the wet," said Fleur Ford, who had dressed her 3-year-old daughter Amanda in a pink hooded sweatshirt and pink gumboots.
Just before 10am, the hearse carrying Sir Ed's casket slowly drove into the church's forecourt.
A solemn horn sounded, ushering his arrival. Parnell woman Cherilyn Marsh, who stood among the crowd of wellwishers, said she fought back tears as the karakia by Ngati Whatua rang out and Sir Edmund's casket - draped in the New Zealand flag - was lifted from the hearse by eight military pallbearers.
After a moving Ka mate, ka mate haka, the pallbearers marched in time into the church, each dignified footstep falling on the beat of a drum.
The Hillary family - with widow Lady June and Sir Ed's son Peter - followed, some arm in arm supporting each other as they walked inside.
New Zealand, Nepalese and Indian community leaders entered the church ahead of the wreath-laying ceremony inside. "It was magic," said Ms Marsh. "Three nations came together to honour one man."
Auckland mother Marieta Morgan brought her children Jordyn, 15, Levi, 13, and James, 12.
"As well as just coming to honour such a great man and the example that he set in his life, I wanted my children to be here in this very moment in time - just to open the door for me to be able to talk to them about the inspiration he was and the example that he set for them in their lives."
She had never met the legend. "Wish I had - with all the stories you hear since he's passed away of how ordinary people were able to just approach him ... "
Madan Shrestha was the first of the public to file past the great mountaineer's casket as it lay in state. The bank customer service officer had found himself at the front of the group of about 100 members of the Nepalese community who were allowed in ahead as a mark of respect.
"All the memories came back to me - his smiling face," said Mr Shrestha, a member of the New Zealand Nepalese Association.
"It's very moving, very touching for us. I just feel like I am missing a part of my family."
Philippa Burns and Andrew Buchanan, holidaying in Auckland from Taupo, brought children Jaimee, 8, Mackenzie, 9, Angus, 10, Drew, 12, and family friend Gabby Paterson.
"We thought it was important for them to remember a great man."
By midday, the queues had shortened, leaving only a line of about 20 people waiting outside the cathedral to pay their respects at any one time. But the wellwishers continued to trickle in, ensuring the seven books for tributes were well filled.
Some tributes were simple: "A life to be celebrated. Man of love, compassion and peace."
Others went biblical. "PS 23: The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want. Bye for now, Sir Ed."
The overriding theme was one of respect and admiration.
"Thank you for being the person my children can look up to," wrote Wendy Thomas from Taupo.
Another wrote: "You're an inspiration to humankind - you cross all cultural barriers and I salute you for a life well lived."
Highlanders Super 14 captain Craig Newby hobbled up to the tributes desk on crutches, having just undergone surgery to fix a fracture in his foot.
"He's done a lot and you can see the coverage he's getting worldwide of how much he means."
Television personality and columnist Jude Dobson had a more personal story to share.
Daughter Ella, 12, had written to Sir Ed two years ago, asking him to autograph a $5 note.
A signed note was returned. "He was such a man of the people, and, as I said to the kids, this is a moment in time. We will remember this."
The steady stream of mourners coming to pay their last respects continued last night with people openly weeping, laying flowers and taking photos of Sir Ed's coffin.
At its peak last night the queue grew to 750 metres long and the crowd swelled to well over 1000 people. It took up to two hours to reach the coffin.
King's College student, 15-year-old Darcy Hunia, met Sir Edmund many times when he attended King's School on Remuera Rd close to where the mountaineer lived.
"We would always see him on his morning walk," said Darcy.
"He'd always be the first to say 'hello' ... everyone knew him, the teachers would all wave out."
"He was a great role model, just himself a typical Kiwi bloke."
