Former Norwich City sporting director Stuart Webber has been hospitalised with lung problems to end his hopes of climbing Mount Everest.
The 40-year-old Welshman had been attempting to scale the planet's highest summit in aid of his charity The Summit Foundation.
However, the charity has posted a statement this evening revealing that the climb has had to be cut short as Webber was taken to hospital.
It explains that the former Canaries chief had a pulmonary edema, caused by fluid accumulating in the lungs, and is now recovering.
Webber has raised more than £24,500 of a £50,000 target and has been training hard in recent years to take on the ambition of a lifetime.
His statement concludes: "I want to thank my wife Zoe, my son Sebastian and those closest to me who have had to suffer in recent days and make sacrifices for this cause.
"This part of my life is over now as it was always a one-time goal.
"My aim is to recover, spend time with my family and move on to the next chapter of my life."
Webber created the charity alongside his wife Zoe, who is City's executive director, with the aim of helping youngsters from underprivileged backgrounds.
The former Liverpool academy recruitment chief, who also previously worked at Wolves, QPR and Huddersfield, left Norwich in November.
He masterminded two promotions to the Premier League as Championship winners alongside head coach Daniel Farke in 2019 and 2021, having arrived in April 2017.
His preparations for the climb ran into trouble after being accused of "casual racism" when talking about his charity, mentioning five of City's black players when providing examples of who he hoped to help.
He had been documenting the initial climbs in the Himalayas on the way up to Everest in recent days, last updating on Sunday and saying he had felt unwell.
"We've just finished an acclimatisation walk up to 5,500m," he told Instagram followers.
"I felt horrific this morning when I woke up, had a sort of weird panic attack or whatever it was, about midnight.
"Bizarrely I've felt stronger as the day has gone on, so hopefully it's just a little 24-hour bug or something."
Webber's statement in full
It is with a heavy heart that my Everest adventure has been cut short due to illness.
Over the last few days I developed a pulmonary edema while on a rotation and for three nights high in the mountains I suffered.
I was rushed to hospital where, fortunately, I received the treatment I desperately needed.
The doctor told me I was very lucky I got there in time – these words haunt me as I know what I could lose.
I have been told I cannot go back up the mountain because the risk of it happening again so soon is too high.
I would like to thank everyone for all the financial support, as well as the love that has been shown because this journey would not have been possible without you.
Although the trip has been cut short, I urge people to still sponsor as the money will go to a great cause and people.
Finally I want to thank my wife Zoe, my son Sebastian and those closest to me who have had to suffer in recent days and make sacrifices for this cause.
This part of my life is over now as it was always a one-time goal.
My aim is to recover, spend time with my family and move on to the next chapter of my life.
Thank you again, Stuart
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