Jack Lawrence

Michael, you could say, was almost the polar opposite to his brother when it came to the adventurous nature.

He was more comfortable in civilization as opposed to climbing mountains and camping on the side of cliffs.

Michael was always good with numbers, and eventually that would lead him into the profession of an accountant.

And he was very successful at it.

During this period, Michael says that a colleague had brought in a climbing magazine and there on the front cover was his big brother.

Chapter 2.

The Easy One.

K2 isn't just another mountain.

It rises out of the ranges on the border of Pakistan and China.

A jagged pyramid of rock and ice that feels almost hostile in its shape.

Sharp, rigid lines, steep faces, no gentle slopes, certainly no easy way up.

At over 8,600 metres, it's the second highest mountain on Earth.

But many climbers will tell you it's the most dangerous, steeper than Everest, less predictable, less forgiving.

Just getting to K2 is an expedition in itself.

There are no roads leading to base camp, no helicopters dropping you neatly at the foot of the mountain.

You trek for days through glaciers and narrow valleys, surrounded by walls of rock that make you feel small, long before the climbing even begins.

At base camp, the air already feels thin.

Every movement takes more effort.

Your breath is shallow, your body never quite settles.

Even standing still, your heart works harder than it should.