Pictured: University lecturer, 34, who died on Mount Everest
A woman who died of altitude sickness while climbing Mount Everest took on the challenge to prove that 'vegans can do anything'.
Maria Strydom died on Saturday afternoon after having to turn back from the final leg of the expedition because she felt unwell.
She returned to Camp 4, the last camp before the mountain's summit, on Friday where she spent the night but died from lack of oxygen the following day.
The 34-year-old South African national taught at Monash University in Melbourne and was an experienced climber.
Her husband Robert Gropel is injured but, according to trip organisers, '100 per cent safe'.
Weeks before her death Dr Strydom told how she and her husband wanted to dispel the belief that vegans were 'weak' or 'malnourished' by taking on the climb.
'It seems that people have this warped idea of vegans being malnourished and weak.
'By climbing the seven summits we want to prove that vegans can do anything and more,' she said in an interview with the university where she worked.
She also told of the dangers most climbers feared when taking on the mountain.
Bruh it's sad that she died, but the irony is just
vegan or not
lots of dead bodies up there
some just aint built to last up there
taking down would be burglars with his submission skills and got a nice lil hippy chick as a wife 
@silkk
