The drive to summit has to be an obsession or it will not succeed.
After something like this the hand-wringing resumes with "Maybe we should restrict [blah blah bullshit]."
The thing is, EVERY climber on that mountain or any other big peak anywhere knows the risks (death) and accepts those. It is explicit acceptance.
Sidenote: even Himalayan trekkers die in vicinity of EBC. When I personally was there, two died from altitude; several had to turn back or die from AMS: 30+ Japanese trekkers avalanched and dead at Gokyo; two got cerebral meningitis at lower altitudes; I personally got leg leeches at start; etc etc etc.
Living is risky!