Vegan woman dies during attempt to climb mount Everest

May 24, 2016 6:06 PM

A university lecturer, Maria Strydom, had reportedly died from lack of oxygen in Nepal on Saturday, May 21, 2016, during the last leg of her expedition which had been meant to prove that vegans are not 'malnourished and weak'.

Maria Strydom and Robert Gropel

A 34-year-old woman who had taken it upon herself to prove that vegans could do anything by attempting to climb mount Everest has been reportedly died in the process.

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A university lecturer, Maria Strydom, had reportedly died from lack of oxygen in Nepal on Saturday, May 21, 2016, during the last leg of her expedition which had been meant to prove that vegans are not 'malnourished and weak'.

The Washington Post reports that Strydom as well as her husband, Robert Gropel, had challenged themselves to overcome Everest in a bid to show that 'vegans can do anything'.

Dr Strydom had disclosed that climbing Everest while sticking to a strict vegan diet, was their 'own personal Everest.'

The lecturer who had worked at Monash University prior to her death, is reported to have decided to turned back from her attempt to reach the summit of the mountain and had been assisted down to the South Col by her husband.

After the couple had spent a night at their camp site, Strydom had walked out of her tent to continue the descent, only to collapse on the Geneva Spur which is reportedly two hours from Camp 3 where helicopter evacuations are possible.

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The leader of the expedition disclosed that Mr Gropel, who had also suffered high altitude pulmonary oedema during the descent, had tried unsuccessfully to carry his wife's body down the mountain.

Gropel had later been taken by helicopter to Kathmandu on Monday, May 23, 2016.