Aussie YouTuber Spanian ‘almost dies' on Mount Everest
The former Sydney gangster-turned-internet sensation, known for his food and travel vlogs and no-nonsense storytelling, was rescued by an emergency helicopter after falling ill while attempting to explore the mountain range.
The 38-year-old told viewers of hit most recent travel vlog that he'd flown to the Himalayas on a whim – and quickly learned that the world's highest mountain doesn't take kindly to shortcuts.
'I just wanted to see what it was all about,' he said in a clip documenting the experience.
'So I booked a private chopper to take me to the top. No trek, no camp and no acclimatising.'
Mount Everest, which stands at a staggering 8849 metres above sea level, straddles the Nepal-Tibet border and attracts thousands of ambitious climbers every year. While summating the peak takes months of intense training and planning, even visiting base camp – located at 5346 metres – can be dangerous without proper acclimation.
Altitude sickness can occur as low as 2500 metres, with symptoms ranging from headaches and nausea to potentially fatal complications. Most travellers will spend several days – if not weeks – gradually ascending to allow their bodies to adapt.
But Spanian skipped all of that entirely.
Instead, chartering a helicopter straight to 3000 metres to check into the Everest View Hotel, one of the highest-altitude hotels in the world – all while wearing a pair of shorts and Adidas joggers.
After arriving, things quickly took a sharp turn.
'I feel light-headed,' he said immediately after exiting the helicopter.
Within the hour, the YouTuber said he couldn't get out of bed, was struggling to breathe and felt freezing cold.
'It's getting way worse. I can't breathe properly, my head hurts and I'm freezing,' he said.
'I tried to send a voice note to one of my staff and I got a little bit scared, I had a panic attack.'
At one point, he attempted to walk a nearby trail to a town but was forced to sit down only minutes into the journey.
'I'm weak and unstable, I could die,' he told viewers.
Back at the hotel, staff measured his oxygen saturation level, where it came back at a worryingly low level of 83 per cent. Safe levels typically range between 95 and 100 per cent.
'I want to go down the mountain right now, I need to get out of here, I almost passed out,' he said.
An emergency helicopter was then called to evacuate him down to 2,500 metres, where his symptoms began to ease.
'I'm actually really upset now, I was going into some sort of collapse,' he said after arriving back at his hotel in Kathmandu.
Viewers were quick to voice their frustration with the experience, branding it complete 'ignorance.'
'This was frustrating to watch. The collective ignorance of Spanian and his management and the complete lack of responsibility by the tour company was mind-blowing,' said one.
'83 per cent blood oxygen level would warrant an admission into the emergency department in normal circumstances,' noted another.
'This is not something you can just decide to do, let alone by yourself. Takes a lot of preparation, training and practice,' wrote a third.
'Your team needs a serious talking to. This was a huge blunder with a potentially critical ending,' agreed a fourth.
The death toll for Mount Everest is higher than any mountain with at least 322 deaths since 1922.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
08-07-2025
- ABC News
First mother-son rowing and kayak duo travels length of River Murray in four months
When Cy Wever-Jetis graduated from high school in Sydney, he did not expect his upcoming gap year to include the endurance test of a lifetime. But a month into 2025, he decided to step out of his comfort zone and begin training with his mum to conquer one of Australia's most treasured waterways, the River Murray. His mum, Anja Wever, also happened to be a competitive rower and had been training for the voyage for 18 months, rowing her single scull craft more than 100 kilometres a week in preparation. "I'm 53 and I wanted this to be an inspirational piece for middle-aged women," Ms Wever said. "But when Cy said he wanted to come too, I thought what a lovely opportunity." To get her 18-year-old son up to speed, Ms Wever put him in a kayak and dropped him well and truly in the deep end. "Cy had never kayaked before, so I took him to Sydney Harbour to see how he would go," she said. What at first seemed like an unstable and slightly risky undertaking soon became a 127-day journey filled with family bonding, emotional vulnerability and records. The pair hiked the first 340km of the voyage, beginning in New South Wales's Mount Kosciuszko summit before hopping into their respective vessels at Hume Dam. As they began their journey downstream to the Murray Mouth in South Australia, the pair made it their mission to stop at every rowing club in the hope of creating a community connection. "All we wanted to do was say hello and take a photo with [the clubs], but they really went out of their way to do so much more," Ms Wever said. Ms Wever said she was touched by how locals from the regional communities helped her and her son along the way. "At one stage my [rowlock] was squeaking and we asked some fishermen if they had any WD40 [lubricant] … to which they said, 'No,'" she said. "But then two hours later, the fishermen had hunted us down and come back to find us just to give us a can of WD40. "[We were both] really touched by that … to see that sort of generosity from everybody, it's so lovely." It was the generosity of locals and the tenacity to make it to the Murray Mouth that got the pair through the harshest conditions. "We had quite a few of those moments where we were just in despair, you know, terrible weather conditions, ice on the tent, ice on the boat, not enough food and we lost a lot of weight," Ms Wever said. "We used to not check the weather every day, but [in the end] we checked the wind like six times a day because we were so worried it was going to pick up," Mr Wever-Jetis said. Despite the aches and pains, the pair said the trip had given them a new-found love for Australia's natural landscapes. "I have loved waking up in the middle of nowhere and hearing the birds and the water flowing," Mr Wever-Jetis said. "All that reflection has been really nice for me, especially because I've just come out of high school." The now-19-year-old said that, although there had been some very challenging moments, giving up was never an option. "No matter how hard things got between us, we never really thought about quitting," he said. "We only thought about how we could move through those hard moments and find a way around it." According to records kept by Goolwa's national trust, the Inland Rivers National Marathon Register (IRNMR), 532 people have completed the voyage since its records began 70 years ago. In that time, Ms Wever and Mr Wever-Jetis are the first mother and son to complete the length of the River Murray. Ms Wever said she hoped her adventures with her son would inspire other mothers to do the same with their children. "Get yourself out of your comfort zone with your children because they will find a new side of themselves, and you will too." And as for what is next on the bucket list, Ms Wever said the pair had already begun planning their next big adventure. "The Murray I wouldn't do again because I have done it now," she said. "But I was thinking about the Amazon."
News.com.au
30-06-2025
- News.com.au
Aussie YouTuber Spanian ‘almost dies' on Mount Everest
Popular Australian YouTuber Anthony Lees – better known as Spanian – has revealed he came terrifyingly close to death during a recent trip to Mount Everest. The former Sydney gangster-turned-internet sensation, known for his food and travel vlogs and no-nonsense storytelling, was rescued by an emergency helicopter after falling ill while attempting to explore the mountain range. The 38-year-old told viewers of hit most recent travel vlog that he'd flown to the Himalayas on a whim – and quickly learned that the world's highest mountain doesn't take kindly to shortcuts. 'I just wanted to see what it was all about,' he said in a clip documenting the experience. 'So I booked a private chopper to take me to the top. No trek, no camp and no acclimatising.' Mount Everest, which stands at a staggering 8849 metres above sea level, straddles the Nepal-Tibet border and attracts thousands of ambitious climbers every year. While summating the peak takes months of intense training and planning, even visiting base camp – located at 5346 metres – can be dangerous without proper acclimation. Altitude sickness can occur as low as 2500 metres, with symptoms ranging from headaches and nausea to potentially fatal complications. Most travellers will spend several days – if not weeks – gradually ascending to allow their bodies to adapt. But Spanian skipped all of that entirely. Instead, chartering a helicopter straight to 3000 metres to check into the Everest View Hotel, one of the highest-altitude hotels in the world – all while wearing a pair of shorts and Adidas joggers. After arriving, things quickly took a sharp turn. 'I feel light-headed,' he said immediately after exiting the helicopter. Within the hour, the YouTuber said he couldn't get out of bed, was struggling to breathe and felt freezing cold. 'It's getting way worse. I can't breathe properly, my head hurts and I'm freezing,' he said. 'I tried to send a voice note to one of my staff and I got a little bit scared, I had a panic attack.' At one point, he attempted to walk a nearby trail to a town but was forced to sit down only minutes into the journey. 'I'm weak and unstable, I could die,' he told viewers. Back at the hotel, staff measured his oxygen saturation level, where it came back at a worryingly low level of 83 per cent. Safe levels typically range between 95 and 100 per cent. 'I want to go down the mountain right now, I need to get out of here, I almost passed out,' he said. An emergency helicopter was then called to evacuate him down to 2,500 metres, where his symptoms began to ease. 'I'm actually really upset now, I was going into some sort of collapse,' he said after arriving back at his hotel in Kathmandu. Viewers were quick to voice their frustration with the experience, branding it complete 'ignorance.' 'This was frustrating to watch. The collective ignorance of Spanian and his management and the complete lack of responsibility by the tour company was mind-blowing,' said one. '83 per cent blood oxygen level would warrant an admission into the emergency department in normal circumstances,' noted another. 'This is not something you can just decide to do, let alone by yourself. Takes a lot of preparation, training and practice,' wrote a third. 'Your team needs a serious talking to. This was a huge blunder with a potentially critical ending,' agreed a fourth. The death toll for Mount Everest is higher than any mountain with at least 322 deaths since 1922.
Perth Now
19-06-2025
- Perth Now
Rory reveals why he's coming to Australia
Masters champion Rory McIlroy has spoken glowingly about the Australian Open ahead of his sandbelt comeback this year, revealing new explorations could be key to rediscovering his mojo amid a post-Augusta haze. Since slumping to his knees on the 18th hole, tears streaming from his face as he finally completed the career grand slam by collecting his maiden green jacket in April, McIlroy has failed to fire as a major champion should. The world No.2 has delivered just one top-10 finish in four events since the Masters, two of which were majors, ending up in a tie for 19th as the world's best players battled the course and the elements at Oakmont Country Club in last week's US Open. Plenty have suggested that by reaching his own personal Mount Everest in taking the coveted trophy at Augusta, McIlroy was left with no more golfing mountains to climb. The Ryder Cup in September looms large as Europe look to topple the USA on home soil but McIlroy, who took a break after the Masters and has been loathe to talk much about his future plans, slotted in a return to Australia for the Open at Royal Melbourne in December and pointed to it now being a key entry on his calendar. McIlroy said taking the opportunity to explore the world of golf, rather than be drilled down on PGA Tour ambitions, could provide him the joy he's looking for in a career that already sits alongside some of the best ever. 'I've always wanted to go to India, and the European Tour and DP World created a new event there,' he said ahead of the Travellers Championship, the last of eight PGA Tour Signature events for 2025. 'I was asked at the start of the year would I be interested in going, and I said 'yeah, that sounds amazing'. 'The Hero Indian Open is like March-April time. I'd love to play DLF (Golf and Country Club in India) and figure out my way around that place, but this one in Delhi in October made more sense.' McIlroy then turned his attention to his Australian visit and said memories of playing the Australian Open as an amateur two decades ago, then winning it in 2013, made him excited about his return where he'll be the headline act as the event returns to a stand-alone men's tournament. 'I've always loved the Australian Open,' he said. 'I've won there before. I played there as an amateur in the Australian Open, qualified for it, went through a qualifier in 2005, got through like a nine-man playoff to get in, so I've always had a huge affinity for that part of the world. McIlroy defeated Adam Scott to win the 2013 Australian Open. Phil Hillyard Credit: News Corp Australia 'So to go back, especially Royal Melbourne this year, Kingston Heath next year, two of the best golf courses in the world on the sandbelt, that's awesome too. 'It's that part of the year where we have the ability to travel and to do these things, and if it makes sense for the schedule – there's never been a green jacket in India before, so to bring the green jacket to India is something that's going to be really cool. 'To go back to the Australian Open, I won that in 2013. Adam (Scott) and I had a great battle down the stretch on the last day, he was the Masters champion at that point. 'I don't know, I like to travel. I like to play in different parts of the world. I haven't been to Australia in 10 years, so it's nice to go back to these places.'
