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The news hit us suddenly, it was an ordinary day dedicated to the job as always; we wanted to exorcise it, to keep it away from us, almost not believing it: Tomaz, injured and unable to move on this unknown mountain and, in a few hours, his predicament was published on all the news and Internet sites.
And then the violent epilogue, the kind that makes you feel bad, the kind that leaves you empty inside: Tomaz is gone, he didn’t make it. That mountain, unknown to most, has taken his soul. It is difficult, tremendously difficult to write words to describe this fact. Words are inadequate, they say nothing of the tumult and the thoughts that you feel inside. Today there is space only for mourning.
Concerning Tomaz the mountaineer, we already know everything: his climbs, his style, his "third eye" as he called it, that led him, in the 90s, to climb new routes on walls on often virgin mountains (remember the South Face of Nuptse W2, or Ama Dablam, or the less popular Lobuche and Bobaye, until his achievement on Dhaulagiri). He touched upon the thin boundary that separates life from death when he fell from the roof of his house: a “domestic” accident that had threatened his life, and that everyone certainly thought would put the end to a fantastic mountaineering career. But Tomaz had a great spirit and strength of mind shaped by a difficult life, Tomaz grew up living through times when nations were divided by communism, divided by the desire for freedom and by the wars that have often marked the lands of the Balkans. Tomaz had returned on the mountains and he rediscovered "the special air" of 8000 metres (climbing Shisha Pangma) and a new route on the South Face of Aconcagua, where he achieved a climb that won high acclaim amongst Alpinists. It was then the turn of Cholatse, to get a fast ascent, then on to Nanga Parbat, and his assistance in a "live worldwide broadcast" on Annapurna. And then Langtang Lirung, the mountain that took his soul.
Concerning Tomaz the man, there are a lot of unknown things: sure we have his interviews, his books... but we have had the privilege to know him and see him for 12 years. His energy and contagious kindness that immediately showed his reflection, motivation, and what his soul said and urged him to do. Producing mountaineering equipment is a wonderful job because we will use our products first, but knowing people who live the mountain dream in a prize and even greater privilege. Have been Tomaz’s friends has been a privilege, our chats talking about products, but also to talk with him about the fire that burns inside, the relationship that binds you to the mountains, the thin line that connects everything you do and everywhere you go, and that touches the closest thoughts of everyone, because it spoke of the soul, your soul, and why you find yourself naked in front of it.
We already miss Tomaz terribly, our selfishness comes out: we will not meet you again Tomaz, we cannot speak, see, ask more of your life, Tomaz, what you've tried and what made us think and grow. But right now, we have also found the strength to go back and reread the emails that you sent us, especially during that intense period after the ascent of East Annapurna in 2007… a private adventure, it seemed “on the edge of ice axe and crampons” after the problems on Nanga Parbat. You told us about your style, and the responsibilities that you felt, your feelings and all those who talk and judge, often without knowing. You, without bitterness and without anger, because you were aware of your personal journey towards your search for freedom and truth. Freedom and truth, today we are sure you have reached and finally found them. Good bye Tomaz!
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