I just heard the news about Taz. I am in shock. She was such a wonderful person, always smiling and full of joy. We will miss her so much. My thoughts are with her family and Gav,remember she lived more in 32 years than most would do in 132 years.
The day we lost Taz I was at Empuria and I phoned a mutual friend of ours to make sure that she knew. She said something that really rang-true to me and helped me understand what happened; she said, that someone like Taz, with SO much energy, having achieved SO MUCH in her life; she was always bouncing around, always up to something new; she was so funny! And my friend said, that it is almost as if Taz somehow knew that her life would be short.
She lived it very well.
Last year I was sick, diagnosed with a kind of pre-cancer. No one from the skydiving community knew except the friend above. Because she lives in the US, she contacted Taz, who lives in the UK as I do, when she found out and in turn, Taz contacted me. She kept in touch, she kept me going, she was really exceptionally kind; offering to come to the hospital, offering every and any service that she could. When you are sick, you learn a lot about people, especially 'friends' - some choose to ignore what is going on, some are in outright denial, and then a very rare few fall over themselves to be supportive. This was Taz. And she never did it for thanks, or for glory. It was acts like this that really truly kept me alive. Helped me fight.
I left hospital 3 months ago. I was at Empuria, back jumping for the very first time in 8 months. When I saw her there I couldn't believe my luck and I got a chance to thank her, and got myself a big hug in exchange!
It's utterly mind-blowing now to realise that she's gone. I have an awful lot of regard for all her friends who were at Empuria when she passed away; they showed great courage, respect and an incredible calm. Taz really was a poppet, and this made it so much harder.
I heard they scattered roses in the sea.
For myself, I'm just so glad that I was given the opportunity to thank her for everything that she did for me, before she left. And I'm incredibly honoured to have had my life touched by her.
In the words of another good friend "if there are such a thing as Angels, you can bet that she's with them"
Love and Hugs to Taz's family and Taz's friends. I hope you can celebrate her life without too much pain, too much sorrow. She will live in the hearts of many - she IS a great lass!
After looking at all her pictures and seeing her sweet face smiling back, and reading all her friends expressions of joy for her easy laugh and kind heart, I wish I could have counted her among friends.
For her friends, and especially her family..you have my deepest sympathies.
(This post was edited by ImGunnaJump on May 29, 2006, 10:10 AM)
...it is almost as if Taz somehow knew that her life would be short.
She lived it very well.
Thank you for that thought. I think Taz packed far more into her short time here than many fit into a much longer lifetime. She was a wonderful girl and such a talented skydiver.
Taz was SUCH an incredible woman....I was SOOOOO happy for her when she made World Team, and her skydiving accomplishments were nothing compared to her wonderful personality and character.
Condolences to her family, boyfriend and MANY friends. She was such a wonderful person
I'm just horrifed of her loss. I loved her to death. She was my fellow wingman - her and I were the first 2 people on the planet to ever hang row 10 wings on a CRW formation. It makes me feel really alone now...
She was our instant friend when we met at Langar in 2001 on the 1st weeknd we were at that DZ. We have pics of freefall from that weekend doing 16 and 30 ways where she was doing back ins on the outside in-out of donuts flakes in the 16 way... she had less the 200 jumps then.
Gavin, if you need anything from this side of the pond, let us know...
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