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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Jess Roskelley, John Roskelley
Aired May 25, 2003 - 08:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: This week marks the 50 anniversary of Sir Edmond Hillary becoming the first climber to conquer Mt. Everest. Last week, Jess Roskelley became the youngest then American climber to reach the summit of the world's tallest peak. But as you just heard, that record did not last that long. Jess and his father John made their trip together. That's the important thing.
They join us on the telephone as they continue their descent down the mountain.
John, how are things going for the both of you there?
JOHN ROSKELLEY, EVEREST CLIMBER: They're going great, Marty. We are down at base camp. We should be out of here tomorrow and headed for Camp Lejeune on the jeeps and our truckload of gear.
SAVIDGE: Now, how did this idea come about? I mean, you are sitting around father and son one day and said let's go climb Mt. Everest?
JOHN ROSKELLEY: Well, I've been climbing for 37 years. My son is 20. He's a really great athlete throughout high school and he still competes in a variety of sports. And to make a long story short, we had a permit this year through a different group and their leader was killed by rock fall in -- on Mt. Rainer in October. And that opened the door, basically to allow my son to go with me and two others.
SAVIDGE: Wow! By tragedy, a new end result comes about. Could you mind putting Jess on the phone quickly? I know you have to share it and I know time is short.
JOHN ROSKELLEY: Not at all.
SAVIDGE: Thank you, John.
JOHN ROSKELLEY: Here he is.
SAVIDGE: Jess, are you with us?
JESS ROSKELLEY, MOUNTAIN CLIMBER: Hello?
SAVIDGE: How are you and how...
JESS ROSKELLEY: Yes, I sure am. SAVIDGE: ... how was the experience -- I mean to do this with your father, well, just to climb Mt. Everest alone would be significant, but with your dad as well.
JESS ROSKELLEY: Oh, man. Well, that was the best part, I think. Being with your dad is a pretty special bond. I think we are going to have that for the rest of our lives.
SAVIDGE: Has it changed two of you? The relationship?
JESS ROSKELLEY: You know, what? It hasn't. We've been pretty close all along. We've always done things together and I think that this is just one more notch in the belt.
SAVIDGE: Yes. Describe for us the feel feeling when you literally were on top of the world together.
JESS ROSKELLEY: Oh, man. I knew we were going to do it. About an hour away, I knew it was going to happen and we got on top and I think both of us just drop to our knees. And well, I don't know about my dad, I started crying. It was pretty emotional.
SAVIDGE: And the view from up there, does it change your view on life?
JESS ROSKELLEY: Actually, you know, the day we were there we didn't have very good weather. It was snowing. It was cloudy. It was cold, windy, and we got up there and you know we said a few things. We let some prayer flags out, and we turned a couple of blocks from the summit and we headed down.
SAVIDGE: Jess, I'm envious of you, you and your father both a remarkable achievement. But the best thing is you did it together and Father's Day is right around the corner.
Jess Roskelley and also with his father John joining us on a satellite phone as they descend from climbing Mt. Everest together.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 25, 2003 - 08:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: This week marks the 50 anniversary of Sir Edmond Hillary becoming the first climber to conquer Mt. Everest. Last week, Jess Roskelley became the youngest then American climber to reach the summit of the world's tallest peak. But as you just heard, that record did not last that long. Jess and his father John made their trip together. That's the important thing.
They join us on the telephone as they continue their descent down the mountain.
John, how are things going for the both of you there?
JOHN ROSKELLEY, EVEREST CLIMBER: They're going great, Marty. We are down at base camp. We should be out of here tomorrow and headed for Camp Lejeune on the jeeps and our truckload of gear.
SAVIDGE: Now, how did this idea come about? I mean, you are sitting around father and son one day and said let's go climb Mt. Everest?
JOHN ROSKELLEY: Well, I've been climbing for 37 years. My son is 20. He's a really great athlete throughout high school and he still competes in a variety of sports. And to make a long story short, we had a permit this year through a different group and their leader was killed by rock fall in -- on Mt. Rainer in October. And that opened the door, basically to allow my son to go with me and two others.
SAVIDGE: Wow! By tragedy, a new end result comes about. Could you mind putting Jess on the phone quickly? I know you have to share it and I know time is short.
JOHN ROSKELLEY: Not at all.
SAVIDGE: Thank you, John.
JOHN ROSKELLEY: Here he is.
SAVIDGE: Jess, are you with us?
JESS ROSKELLEY, MOUNTAIN CLIMBER: Hello?
SAVIDGE: How are you and how...
JESS ROSKELLEY: Yes, I sure am. SAVIDGE: ... how was the experience -- I mean to do this with your father, well, just to climb Mt. Everest alone would be significant, but with your dad as well.
JESS ROSKELLEY: Oh, man. Well, that was the best part, I think. Being with your dad is a pretty special bond. I think we are going to have that for the rest of our lives.
SAVIDGE: Has it changed two of you? The relationship?
JESS ROSKELLEY: You know, what? It hasn't. We've been pretty close all along. We've always done things together and I think that this is just one more notch in the belt.
SAVIDGE: Yes. Describe for us the feel feeling when you literally were on top of the world together.
JESS ROSKELLEY: Oh, man. I knew we were going to do it. About an hour away, I knew it was going to happen and we got on top and I think both of us just drop to our knees. And well, I don't know about my dad, I started crying. It was pretty emotional.
SAVIDGE: And the view from up there, does it change your view on life?
JESS ROSKELLEY: Actually, you know, the day we were there we didn't have very good weather. It was snowing. It was cloudy. It was cold, windy, and we got up there and you know we said a few things. We let some prayer flags out, and we turned a couple of blocks from the summit and we headed down.
SAVIDGE: Jess, I'm envious of you, you and your father both a remarkable achievement. But the best thing is you did it together and Father's Day is right around the corner.
Jess Roskelley and also with his father John joining us on a satellite phone as they descend from climbing Mt. Everest together.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
