79-year-old grandad hopes to break record by reaching Everest Base Camp

A 79-year-old man has set off in hopes of becoming the oldest man with Alzheimer’s to reach Everest Base Camp, all while raising money for a good cause.

Sam Bunting, an army veteran from Ashford, Kent, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2022, but determined to not let this define him, he decided to pursue his lifelong dream of climbing Everest.

While doing so, he’s also raised funds for his local Age UK centre, where he volunteers and receives support.

Sam originally planned on climbing Everest in 2014, but after he became a grandad to two twins, he did not want to leave them, and in 2015 earthquakes struck Nepal, further delaying his plan.

Joining Sam on this journey is Emma-Jayne Thomas, 47, a team leader at Age UK who also lives in Ashford – a lifelong family friend who has always seen Sam as a ‘second dad’, she is ‘unbelievably proud’ of him.

Cleo Smith, Age UK’s chief officer, 49, from Folkestone, Kent, will also be joining them, and the trio have been training intensively since January 2024, and raised more than £20,000.

On October 14 they set off on their 80-mile round trip – Sam, brimming with excitement, joked that once he reaches Everest Base Camp, he might not ‘want to leave’ adding: ‘the girls might have to tie me down.’

Upon completing the challenge, Sam will set a new Guinness World Record as the oldest person with Alzheimer’s to reach Everest Base Camp, which he said will be ‘a big achievement.’

Sam said: ‘Treat (Alzheimer’s) the same way if you were climbing a mountain, just go straight to the top. Don’t stop, don’t think about it, it’s there to be climbed and go up, don’t give up.

‘It’s not a painful diagnosis, it’s just a frustrating diagnosis. It doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying life either. All those years ago, I thought I’d be going to Everest on my own, but now it’s got more purpose – it’s not just for me, but for lots of people out there, and friends out there, who suffer with it. In my mind, these ladies that work there (at Age UK) are proper angels.’

In 2022, Sam began experiencing the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s.

He recalled: ‘I used to pick up my grandson from Cubs, and one evening, I picked him up and suddenly I couldn’t remember where I was.

‘And being clever like I am, I gave him a challenge – I said, ‘Show grandad how to get home’, and he showed me the way. Anyway, he wasn’t such a fool – walking through the door, he told his mum, and they told me to go and see someone.’

After visiting the doctor, Sam received his diagnosis, which he believed ‘worried’ his family.

Determined to prove that ‘life doesn’t have to stop’ after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Sam decided to take on his lifelong goal of climbing Everest.

Sam has always been an adventurous person – he travelled the world while serving in the armed forces, and in 2013, he climbed Mount Annapurna in Nepal.

The following year, he had hoped to climb Everest, but his daughter gave birth to twins and he did not want to leave them. Then, in 2015, earthquakes struck the region, delaying his plans again.

By August 2023, after receiving his diagnosis, Sam had started visiting Hythe, Lyminge and Ashford Age UK, his local Age UK day centre, where Emma-Jayne works.

He mentioned his goal to reach Base Camp and raise money for the day centre, and Emma-Jayne and her boss, Cleo, instantly agreed to join him and were touched by his wish.

Sam added: ‘My family thought I was crazy, and still think I’m crazy, but the mountain is there to be climbed!’

By January 2024, the trio had booked their trip and began training almost every day, focusing primarily on weight training and cardio.

Since then, they’ve all adopted a healthier diet and have given up alcohol, with Emma-Jayne also stopping smoking.

The team is due to set off on October 14, and will return on November 5.

The climb typically takes around 12 days, depending on weather conditions and altitude adjustments.

Sam is ‘very excited’ about the challenge but is also focused on ‘looking after’ Cleo and Emma-Jayne, saying ‘it’s very, very, very strong in my heart that I need to get these girls back home.’

Cleo added: ‘One thing we haven’t been able to train for is the altitude, so we’ve got to mentally prepare ourselves for that. It’s not just about the physical side of training.

‘For all three of us, we’ve got family, and we’ve not been away from them for a long time. So it’s all the emotional stuff we’ve got to mentally prepare ourselves for as well, which can be quite challenging, like not being able to phone home when we want to.’

The trio think they will be in disbelief when they reach Base Camp.

Emma-Jayne said: ‘We’ll be on top of the world because we’ve achieved what we set out to do. I think the three of us will share a very emotional moment and a bond that will last a long time.’

Sam has painted a rock, which he picked up on one of their training walks, with the Hythe, Lyminge and Ashford Age UK logo and their names on the back, and the team hope to leave it at Base Camp to mark their success.

Sam joked: ‘To get that far will be an achievement in itself; the girls might have to tie me down there, I don’t think I’ll want to leave!’

Since January 2024, the team has raised more than £20,000 through fundraising events and donations, and hope to reach their goal of £30,000 by the time they complete the mission.