A 75-year-old retired Chicago firefighter made it to the summit of Mt. Everest this week, capping an 11-year effort.
Viorel “Wally” Stirbu has now completed the Seven Summits,
becoming one of the oldest climbers in history to conquer the highest
peak on every continent.
He wrote on social media, “I saved the hardest one for last,” writing “I have achieved my dream.
He spoke with Outside Magazine in base camp.
“One day I wanted to do Kilimanjaro, just for tourist,” he told the magazine. “So then from there I learned about the Seven Summits and I summit every one of them.”
Stirbu brought a Chicago Fire Department flag to the summit.
He came to Chicago from Romania in 1978.
He was with the fire department for nearly 30 years.
Facebook post:
Mount Everest Expedition Spring 2026 with my guide Victor Rimac, my Sherpas and using the logistics of 14PeaksExpedition.
Finally I stood on top of the world at 75 young years of age to finish my goal of completing the seven summits of the world challenge and boy I saved the hardest one for the end. The most rewarding views after days of climbing in the Himalayas, highest altitude on earth. The views were spectacular!
I carried my friend Dan Fredinburg’s picture, the former Google executive who’s wish was to climb this mountain in 2015 when we were there on expedition and sadly who’s life was taken by the earthquake and avalanche of 2015. He has now been on top Mt Everest with me and I hope he was smiling down from heaven.
My Romanian heritage I am very proud of, is part of me growing up there and after moving to the USA I joined my fire department in Chicago the CFD which I work for 27 years and have made so many lifelong friends. I was proud to carry the CFD flag to the top of the world. My friends, up there was no chance of any fire danger up there at 8848m or 29,031ft sub zero temperatures.
This project has taken me 11 years to complete and I am very proud man to have achieved my dream. Thank you to all of my family, friends and people that have supported me through this journey. Enjoy some of the videos of climbing Everest and pictures. The memories I have made are beyond my imagination it has enriched my life even more. I leave here with the biggest smile. Love Wally.
