He was an adventurous, loving, kindhearted loyal man who made you feel important and he was so humble. – Suzanne Fortuna
West Geauga High School alumnus Don Cash lived life to the fullest and died reaching a goal most wouldn’t even dream of.
“I could say Don was bigger than life, however, words like large, epic, go big, etc. do not do Don justice,” said longtime friend and former classmate Colleen Crawford, of Moreland Hills. “He was a humble leader that represented success in every arena in life — work, family, legacy, passions, hobbies and adventure.”
The avid adventurist accomplished his goal of climbing the tallest mountain on each of the seven continents, joining the 7 Summits Club, and died on his descent down Mount Everest on May 22.
The summit of Everest is the highest mountain in the world in the Himalayas at 29,029 feet.
Cash is one of 11 climbers who died on an expedition to Everest this climbing season, marking the highest death toll on the mountain since 2015, according to The Associated Press.
Sherpa guides tried to get him down the mountain, but he lost consciousness near the Hillary Step at 28,839 feet and never recovered.
Cash was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Oct. 11, 1964, and raised in Geauga County on his family’s farm.
He graduated from West Geauga High School in 1983.
“This young man in junior high — self labeled himself as the fat kid — was like all of us, living a life in Chesterland, Ohio, at West Geauga Junior High or High School wondering what would life be like,” Crawford said. “He, of course, became uber-successful, uber-fit and the uber-lover of life. He moved out west and consciously created his life.”
Cash left Ohio to attend Brigham Young University and graduated from the University of Utah, eventually settling with his family in nearby Sandy, Utah.
He is survived by his wife and four children.
Stacey Seacrist, from Painesville, knew Cash from high school, but said it wasn’t until after graduation they reconnected and became good friends.
“It’s clear from reading all the posts that his friends and colleagues have written and posted on his Facebook wall that everyone felt the same way about Don,” Seacrist said. “He was not only a wonderful family man, but he was also a wonderful friend to so many.”
Over and over again, friends said Cash lived larger than life and went for his dreams.
He was a highly successful salesperson and spent most of his career in the technology industry and worked at BMC Software as a vice president, but was on a sabbatical to pursue his mountain climbing goals.
“He was an adventurous, loving, kindhearted loyal man who made you feel important and he was so humble,” said another classmate and longtime friend, Suzanne Fortuna, of Willoughby. “A family man who cherished his wife and children, a friend for all seasons who just made me smile.”
Seacrist said the thing she admired most about Cash was how much kindness, encouragement and compassion he had for all those around him.
“Don was one of a kind and I’m going to miss following all of his adventures,” Seacrist added.
A look at Cash’s Instagram and other social media posts show the global and happy traveler climbing, sailing, on diving trips, with his extensive car collection, favorite motivational quotes and creating memories with family.
West Geauga High School Principal Jay Bishop paged through old yearbooks with Crawford as she reminisced.
“It’s great he pursued his dreams,” Bishop said. “We inspire graduates to pursue their dreams and it sounds like he did that in his life.”
Joe Marino, an English teacher at West Geauga, remembered his fellow classmate being an excellent dodge ball player.
An avid skier at a young age, Cash worked at the nearby slopes of Alpine Valley.
“He was always a really good skier” with the fortitude to not succumb to any obstacles, Crawford said.
“Given his ridiculous ‘buck the system, no matter my health issues, I will make this happen’ attitude, I am both shocked and sad he died on Everest, as his fitness and determination were beyond the average 55-year-old,” Crawford said.
She said he persevered despite parts of his fingers being amputated, abscesses in his abdomen and frostbite from previous climbs.
“He still took on Everest because he was that guy. Life could throw him anything, he would catch it, look at it and appropriately let it go,” Crawford added.
In other news reports, Cash’s children said their dad signed a waiver declaring his body be left if he died on a climb.
“He chose to break through his barriers of fear. He took the opportunities that life affords all of us and decided to be the creator of his own destiny,” Crawford said. “He did not allow obstacles to slow him or stop him. He had issues like we all do, however, he would never allow those issues to prevent his pursuit of his passions and dreams. If I lined up our class, of I think 338, I am going to guess he lived more life than most anyone … and humbly.”
