Spread the Love

[diverdriver 5]

Ok, I'm indulging myself in making a new thread for Roger Nelson rather than posting on the other condolences thread. Sorry if that offends anyone. It has taken me these 2 days to try and put my thoughts completely together about what has happened. I've made small comments here and there but it's still really easy to start crying again about this. I imagine this will take most of this morning to compose.

"We lost Dale today." Renee and I were both thinking this morning about the same thing. How do we describe what we've lost in terms that others can understand. Well, the loss of Dale Earnhardt is about as close an analogy as you could have. Thanks Renee for putting into words what I was struggling to find.

I had just landed from flying a load and was fueling. After fueling I started to move out and Renee (riding right seat) looked over her shoulder and said that someone was injured in the landing area. We immediately saw Roger's canopy colors. I prayed someone had borrowed his gear. I dealt with what I had to at the time and park the aircraft safely in the middle of the ramp so the other otter could get around. Control lock and prop ties. We started walking to the landing area and I told Renee she may not want to walk over and see this. I saw Woody and another doing CPR on the person on the ground and then I noticed another injured jumper near by. Oh God no! Not another canopy collision. Please God, let it be someone else borrowing Roger's gear or just similar canopy colors. Then we saw as we approached. Rook and Missy kneeled by and then I saw him. They worked on him so professionally. No hysterics. 1,2,3,4,5....breathe. 1,2,3,4,5...breathe. Check. After a couple of minutes he breathed on his own. But it was very labored. I've seen this before. I knew it was incredibly bad. I won't go into anymore detail as that is not appropriate here. We all know what we saw. It will forever be burned in my brain. And as I told Andrea in a PM, if this had to happen I'm actually ok with having seen it. It made it more real. For me, it helps bring it to close rather than just "poof" they're gone.

We stopped operations as soon as we could to try and regroup. Lifeflight was told to launch to meet them at the local hospital. I did not check the other jumper myself but asked someone who had just been over there how he was since it was obvious the main focus was on Roger. The person said "He'll be ok. Just ankles and legs." The ambulances arrived and took them away. Now what. We know he's critical. And I know he would want his operation to continue and get the first time tandems up with any fun jumpers that wanted to go. We checked with the tandem masters to make sure they were ok with going up and that they were able to focus on the task at hand. This would be a major distraction to all of us if we were to continue operations. After a pause to get emergency procedures going we looked at starting back up. The otter was put on a 20 minute call and as far as I know no student backed out of going up. The staff handled this situation like true professionals and I thank them. After getting all the important phones calls done that I could think of I ended up flying another load with Max's group. After that, I was glad to be done and went back to seeing if there was anything I could help coordinate at the operation. Everyone had everything handled. Roger's done well in hiring people who know their job and are self starters.

We went and got some food and found some "Baglanders" to hang out with. The Baglanders are the original group to be very close knit at Roger's operation at Sandwich in the 80s. It was good to sit some elders. We could talk, and hope. Talk about other bad injuries we'd seen before where the person came back. We got news that Roger had blood pressure coming back and that he was arguing with the medical staff. We all laughed figuring "Yah, that's Roger. That's a good sign." But as quickly as our hopes began to rise we got the news about 6pm. "He didn't make it." Oh Roger. How could you be taken out like this? I figure it's the only way you could. You never saw it coming. And as Chuck Yaeger once said "I ran out of altitude, options, and ideas all at the same time." I sorry Roger you didn't have an ejection seat. But now that you've said that I know you are grinning at me and saying "But I did. Jesus is my ejection seat." Roger's faith was strong. It had to be. He's had what seems to be imaginable hard times trying to achieve his dreams of building an awesome facility for people to gather. Oh yah, and we skydive too. Roger new all about skydiving, but he knew the community was why we kept coming back. Slowfaller saw that in him. We all knew it.

The rest of the night was spent hugging each other. Every time you turned around there was another wet face to try and dry with a shirt sleeve and we all asked why, how. We made all the phone calls we could to let friends know what happened. Many drove right away to the DZ to be with us. People whom I haven't seen in years were there in minutes. The bond is strong. We drank many a toast in his name. We all love him.

Sunday morning we had a service in the auditorium for him. It was packed. I know when we have his funeral the attendance will be 4 fold that. As Laurian, our resident pastor, said as we all stood in a big group joining hands "THIS....is the big way Roger always wanted to build. This community." It was a very lovely service as Laurian passionately talked about the story of Lazarus. We know that Roger will not come back physically. But his spirit is in all of us and that spirit will rise again and we will make the community go forward. That's what will rise again. Roger feels no more pain. He is happy. He has gone Home.

Roger, I am going to miss you so much. You have been a mentor to me. You cared about my well being when no once else did. You made sure I could live and you always treated me with respect and professionalism. The other day we sat with some new people at the DZ and you introduced me as "one of the best pilots you knew." You said you had to say one of the best because you had to include yourself in that group. We laughed and smiled and our eyes connected. We knew more about what was just said than anyone else in that room could know. We communicated without speaking. Well Roger, I know I can say for a fact that YOU are the best pilot I know. You cared about the people around you and your sense of situational awareness was honed to a razor's edge. Your ability to teach and your ability to know when to send me to others for teaching was truely intuitive and full of love. You'll always be my co-pilot. Don't you worry. I'll make sure that the planes are taken care of. We know that a safe ride to altitude is what people have to expect. You worked so hard to make sure that happens. You built your aiport on wide open expanses. You built your runway long and flat. It's the flatest runway I've ever flown off of. You did an awesome job.

I remember the last thing you said to me. We were passing in the hall by the AFP room. You smiled that huge Nelson smile when you saw me and you said "Thanks for helping the students fill out their proficiency card." I said "No problem Roger." I will always help with your students Roger in anyway I can. No problem.

And Roger, remember.......there is no spoon.

We went up on a jump after the service. An old Freak Brother, Rainbo, walked to the front of the auditorium and said "Ok, it's time to dry our eyes. It is time to go do what we came here to do. Roger built this place for us. And now we are going to go use it." I pulled the planes out so that I could fly this Freak load for Roger. Pops, Roger's dad, came over to me and said he thought we should fly Enterprise N10EA, Uncle Jimmy's plane. I said that was exactlly what I was thinking too. I got it out on the ramp and then Randy Goken stopped me from flying it. He said "I flew the first load after Jim Bohr died I AM going to fly the first load after Roger died." I knew there was no arguing with him. I felt lost for a moment. He said "Go get your gear and get on this load. We are going to fly this load." No problem. I ran and got my gear. We planned a BFR in Freak fashion: barefoot. We went up and put a tandem out first. It was her second tandem. We all cheered as she got in the door with Charles. I know she must have heard us holloring for the first 2,000 feet. Then we went to 18k. Single file exit. Round starts on Rainbo. It built and we just held it. There was some tension and I didn't want to break my grip. At the point I thought I would not be able to hang on and the grip to my left would be ripped from my me hand gripped that much harder and it didn't break. Thanks Roger. And then on another side of the formation, where the final grip was made it broke. I know that was you breaking in for the last grip. "The first shall be last and the last shall be first." We broke off and I tracked parallel with Chris from the Golden Knights. It was so cool to have them on the load. Roger had such admiration for them. I gave Chris the piece sign and he waived at me too just before we went through some haze. We opened. I turned for the airport and we were about a mile out. No problem with the winds we had. And from a mile out I could see a mass of people gathered near the landing area. I felt really honored at that point to have gotten to go do a jump FOR Roger. They said it looked really beautiful from the ground. I landed, we all hugged. And then I went to the spot where Roger had been hurt. I said a prayer. Said thank you my friend. And then walked off. Good bye my friend. Until we see each other again.

With much love and tears on the keyboard.

Chris

[sunshine 2]

Beautifully written chris.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[bbarnhouse 0]

Thank you Chris for sharing this with us.
Spread your wings.
BB

[skymama 35]

That was a wonderful remembrance you wrote, Chris. You had my eyes welling up with tears too. We should all hope to be remembered by our friends so beautifully.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[Pablito 0]

Thanks man!! good job.
Cielos Azules
Pablito

"If you don't overcome your fears they will overcome you first"
Shady Monkey/6Segundos Rodriguez/AKA Pablito

[ltdiver 3]

Thank you, Chris, for showing us the heart of Roger....his family....his love. Beautifully written.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[airann 1]

I am glad to have read this, it let me get some more emotions out that I needed to do. I am not saying I 'knew' him as so many did. But some of us certainly felt the love he spread. I subscribed to all that he wrote. Including the Christian newsletter.

As it took you a while to write it, it took me a while to read it. It brought the saying 'Bad things happen to good people' to the surface, I suppose.

I am now positive that in heaven there is a Skydiving Angel watching out for us all.

~AirAnn~

[jumpergirl 0]

Wow Chris, thank you for that. What a beautiful thing to read about such a tragic loss.

[Jib 0]

Thank you for your moving words in this difficult time.

--------------------------------------------------
the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[fb4055 0]

Great job Chris,


Roger was and always will be an incredible icon for skydiving. He will be greatly missed by all.
Roger lives on in all of us.
Rook and Missy, My deepest sympathies go out to you both.

Roger, Blue Skies and fly free.


Rick Coble
FB4055

[ladyskydiver 0]

Beautiful post. I never had the opportunity to meet Roger and wish I would have. This post had me in tears.

A hug for you, my friend.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[whocares 0]

THE BEST.

[jceman 1]

Chris,

Like I have said in a couple replies to Michele's posts, it's not nice to make an old man cry.

But this time Ihave to thank you.

Not only for your description of the evnts of the past couple days and you feelings about them, but for my tears.

Thank you again, Chris.

Godspeed, Roger.

Faster horses, younger women, older whiskey, more money.

Why do they call it "Tourist Season" if we can't shoot them?

[freakyrat 1]

Chris

That was one awesome post. Keep the faith.

Calen C Chrzan
FB1783

[skybytch 259]

Thank you, Chris.

[diablopilot 2]

Chris,

Having never met Roger, thank you for touching my life with a little of his. Blue Sky wishes to you and all those at SDC.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Michele 1]

Chris, that was well said, well written, and well felt. Thanks.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[Jessica 0]

*hug*

Skydiving is for cool people only

[jtval 0]

thanks Chris!

My photos

My Videos

[TitaniumLegs 8]

Quote

Ok, I'm indulging myself

You, of all people, certainly have that right. Thanks.

Quote

With much love and tears on the keyboard.

I'll see if I can get you some from our IT department, but they're really starting to wonder how I keep spilling "saline" in them...

Breathe in, breathe out.

Peter

(>o|-<

If you don't believe me, ask me.

[Zenister 0]

very nice Chris, thank you for sharing those moments with everyone far away..

blueskies, be well.

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[EricaH 0]

Thank you for posting that Chris...
Only met Roger a few times in the past year, but he was never anything but wonderful. He new I was a loyal Chicagoland jumper, but welcomed me w/ open arms each visit to SDC.
His spread the love ideology, is utlimately the way to live, on & off the dz.
He is in a wonderful place now, where you only need a canopy if you want to fly one.

There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.

PMS #227 (just like the TV show)

[wmw999 2,146]

That was beautiful. Roger earned a lot of love, didn't he?

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[kallend 1,644]

Thanks, Chris.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[sunshine 2]

Quote

Roger earned a lot of love, didn't he?

He was easy to love.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!