A 34-year-old vegan lectured died after climbing Mount Everest just to prove that vegans can do anything.

Maria Strydom died after having to turn back from the final leg of the expedition because she felt unwell.

The vegan reportedly went back to Camp 4, which is the last camp before the summit of the mountain, where she spent the night.

However, the woman died from a lack of oxygen after a day.

The 34-year-old South African national taught at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and was an experienced mountain climber.

Robert Gropel, her husband, was injured in the incident but is 100 percent safe, said the organizers of the trip.

A couple of weeks before her death, Maria said that she and her husband want to prove to the world that vegans can do anything.

The couple wanted to dispel the belief that vegans were weak or malnourished.

Maria said in an interview before her death:

“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.”

Before her death, Maria also talked about the dangers they will be facing once they start climbing the mountain.

She said:

“We’ve all heard stories of frostbite and having to turn around from excessive waiting times due to inexperienced people blocking routes. This can lead to life threatening situations and death where Sherpas and other climbers have to risk their lives to attempt rescues.”

Maria had begun climbing from Camp 4 but was forced to go back down when she felt unwell.

She returned to the camp-site at 26,085 feet with a Sherpa while others in her group carried on.

Her husband reached the summit.

After spending the night at Camp 4 the condition of Maria deteriorated.

She stopped breathing due to a lack of oxygen.