Alexander Pancoe, an alpinist and philanthropist battling cancer, died doing what he loved, his wife Nina Laski Pancoe said.
He had climbed the tallest mountains of all seven continents, cross-country skied the North and South Poles and reached the summit of Mt. Everest. He did it all to raise money for Lurie Children’s Hospital, the hospital that saved his life several years before.
“He would tell people: ‘No matter what obstacle is thrown in front of you, no matter what you’re battling, just never stop pursuing your dreams, never give up, never think it’s the end, just keep trying,'” Laski Pancoe said. “Despite being diagnosed with cancer, he was never gonna give up.”
Pancoe, a 39-year-old financial adviser who worked in Chicago and lived in Lake Forest, suffered from cardiac arrest while attempting to climb Mount Makalu in Nepal on Sunday. He had been resting for the night after completing a routine acclimation hike on the mountain when Pancoe woke up feeling like he was having a panic attack, Laski Pancoe said. In an acclimation hike, the climber attempts a partial hike to get used to the altitude.
Attempts are being made to bring his body down from the mountain to the capital city Kathmandu, the AP reported.
Pancoe was battling chronic myeloid leukemia while climbing the fifth-tallest mountain, the latest of his adventures to climb around the world for a cause deeply connected to him. He was a Northwestern University graduate and while in school, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and treated at the university’s cancer center, according to the university.
When he started climbing, he decided his goal was to give back to the center and help others also struggling with cancer.
“He loved that each mountain brought its own challenges, brought its own story,” Laski Pancoe said. “The more mountains he climbed, the more stories he had to tell, and every climb he dedicated to patients.”
He started training for a mission in 2016. He wanted to complete the Explorers Grand Slam, a daunting feat that includes summiting the highest mountain on each of the seven continents and cross-country skiing across the North and South Poles, and raise $1 million for Lurie Children’s Hospital.
Pancoe accomplished this feat in 2019 and raised $500,000 for the hospital, his wife said.
In 2022, Pancoe was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, and he had to take a break from climbing. But, that didn’t stop Pancoe from continuing to train. He trained until his doctors told him he was healthy enough to climb again.
“Despite having bad days, he would still train, he would still climb. He would still be the best dad, the best husband, no matter how hard of a day he would having, he would always be there for his family,” she said.
Over the weekend, Laski Pancoe received a satellite call where she found out her husband’s heart stopped and CPR wouldn’t work after an hour of trying. He had gone on this journey with a hiking guide company, Madison Mountaineering, which released a statement.
“We are heartbroken by the sudden loss of our teammate and dear friend, Alex Pancoe, who passed away unexpectedly on the evening of May 4th at Camp 2 on Makalu,” the statement said. “Alex was sharing a tent with our expedition leader and guide, Terray Sylvester. The two had just finished dinner and were settling into their sleeping bags, chatting casually, when Alex suddenly became unresponsive,” according to the statement. “Despite hours of resuscitation efforts by Terray and our team of climbers and Sherpa at Camp 2, they were unable to revive him.”
The statement also said earlier in the day he had been “thoroughly” enjoying the expedition, and was in “high spirits, full of energy, and was considered one of the strongest members of the team.”
“Above all, Alex was a devoted father who spoke often and lovingly about his children — they were the center of his world,” the statement said. “His passing is a tremendous loss, and our hearts go out to his family during this incredibly difficult time.”
Laski Pancoe said his death was a “complete shock.” She received a text from Pancoe that said he was feeling strong and optimistic that he would summit the mountain.
“He then texted, ‘I love you I am going to bed’, and that was it,” Laski Pancoe said.
Laski Pancoe is still grasping the reality of losing her husband and the father of their two children, a 2-year-old and 7-month-old.
“I still think he’s gonna come home and walk through the doors and hug and kiss me and hug and kiss our kids.”
Laski Pancoe said she is devastated they will have to grow up not knowing their father.
The family had traveled the world together and had plans for more travels this summer. They also spent a lot of time in Pancoe’s “happy place” in Vail, Colorado, where he taught his son how to ski and hike, she said.
“I always joke that he would be 90 years old on a mountain one day, and the fact that he was taken so young absolutely breaks my heart that he won’t be there to see his kids grow up, I’ll have to show them photos and videos of their dad,” Laski Pancoe said.
She said her children will always know how much their father loved cared about them.