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Ron

Have you seen someone die in this sport?

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I saw a German mother of 2 toddlers go in in Ampuria,low cutaway hitting a boat.Her Husband hooked himself in at the same time I think from witnessing the accident under canopy.It was a Sunday 2 years ago...I got up and walked off the DZ and didn't jump again for a year.Very sad,as they were nice people.Didn't deserve to go this way...
What pissed me off was everyone ( Whuffos mainly )rushing around all morbidley curious as if this was the highlight of their day.No showing any respect for the Family and friends or the Staff and Emergency Services.

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A friend of friend landed in the town in Ampuria which resulted in his death from hitting a wall.I was sitting in front of him in the plane,I think he was swiss german..on that jump.The toughest bit was seeing the police tell my mate that his friend had been killed.Funny really ,how you expect yourself to do certain things when this happens,but you dont,you just cant say anything,your mind goes cold.I felt bad for my mate,because it was his good friend.All I could do was get the beers in and roll a big one ... felt the right thing to do at the time.

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My ex-husband was the survivor in a canopy wrap that killed the wife of the couple who were our best friends. I was on the ground, having gotten to the DZ too late to get on the load (a 20-way).

I was in the loft messing around, when our friend (the husband) came in and walked right past me looking upset. I thought the jump had gone poorly, and began razzing him, but he ignored me and went past. Another friend coming with him just said "His wife just died." Yup, I went completely cold.

I didn't even know then that my husband was the survivor. She had flown into his canopy (each had a 90 degree twist in the lines), and he finally cut away at about 1000' because they were going to go in together otherwise -- she wasn't doing anything. He was yelling and talking at her until then. He was OK physically.

I remember everything about it as clearly as if it were yesterday. And I'm sure he remembers it even better. I have no desire ever to get close enough to a fatality to see it. I'll look away every single time.

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)

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No. I hope I never do.
I have heard enough descriptions of the sounds and have
enough mental images that I am positive I can do without the real thing.

Not to over state the obvious, but lets all try to be
just that much safer next time we jump.

I can't remember the exact title of what I'm thinking of...something about a chain of events...

Break the chain...
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

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I have heard enough descriptions of the sounds and have
enough mental images that I am positive I can do without the real thing.



Its a sound you'll never forget

__________________________________________________
"Beware how you take away hope from another human being."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

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:| >:( :( yes....twice...
both while visiting ,,,, at out of town DZ's.......
One guy failed to cut away a streamering Para Commander and poured out a chest mount reserve which did not inflate...we were about to board a Huey Helicopter, ( It was an invitational meet @ Wallkill New York,,, near West Point in the mid 70's) We looked up while the jumper was falling and when I saw the mess, and then could make out his hands and feet, I knew I was looking at a dead man... 3 seconds later he was......As we waited to board at the WFFC, in quincy,,, in 98 ( I think) a person had trouble with a skyboard, and was unable to get a canopy open....[:/]... It occurred right at that moment,,, but My eyes did not actually witness it..I hope that statistically speaking I have seen my share.....

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Unfortunately 2.5. I watched a team mate go in with a horseshoe first.. Then saw a close friend go in with two canopies out.. He is alive today by the grace of god, but will never jump or work again. (that is the .5). Watched my brother-in-law die last year. The last 2 years have been rough..

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Two deaths from a moderate distance. What sticks in my mind though is the mental image of my highly-experienced out of town friend hooking it in less than twenty yards from where I was standing. We were supposed to be doing a two-way together, but I was sick with the trots and missed the load. He was sure to be pissed at me so I was standing in front of manifest to buy him some jumps after he landed. Well, he landed with an angry hard hook which resulted in an enormous bounce, and no one who was there at the time could fathom how this guy managed to survive that impact. I can still hear the sound -- and his cries. He doesn't come around our place anymore.

D. James Nahikian
CHICAGO

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Thankfully I have never witnessed anyone going in. I'm with Wendy in that I don't think I could watch. Kelli and Deuce both scared me to death at the Boogie when they got hurt even.

I have lost a very close friend in San marcos 2 years ago, Holly this year, and almost lost Eric 2 weeks ago in Perris. I've known several others too.

I can honestly say I'm have a tough time with all this. If/ when my Dr. gives me the ok I will jump again, but my imagination has made itself well known over the past few weeks.

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.

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Witness to 11, participated in the investigation of 5. It is horrible and does not get better.



Shit. Can't think of anything better to say. That's terrible.

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)

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Was there the day Wendy's Husband survived and Kathy did not, it was 1984 and I remember as if it was yesterday, never seen a DZ go so quiet in such a short time.
Have seen 4 since then some close friends...Wendy is right ...look away and furthermore I never go to funerlas, I did once and frankly I rather remember their laughing faces rather than the waxed up one in a box



LIFE IS LIKE A CIGARETTE, YOU CAN SIT THERE AND WATCH IT BURN AWAY OR YOU CAN SMOKE THAT BITCH TO THE FILTER

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Unfortunately I've seen 2, and let me tell you 2 too many. My first one was on my first CRW jump and that will stick with me a lifetime. I thought it was bumped up to 3, but Eric is going to be back in the air in no time (lets hope as soon as possible) and I am SOOOO glad for that. My 2nd was Holly. Didnt see the actual accident, but was close enough to see the aftermath. :(

take the time to appreciate the people around you.

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Yes, unfortunately. Very good friend of mine. Just as I walked out of the hanger, looked up, and saw it happen. Lifeflight was brought in, and I knew he was gone when the helo shut down it's engines. Nobody at our dz got much sleep that night. I kept seeing and hearing it over and over, every time I closed my eyes.

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Unfortunately I have to answer yes... and it really sucks to watch a friend go in. I have seen 2 friends do that and it really hurts. The other 3 people I watched go in under varying mals.... I did not know them but its still hard to watch someone not do the right thing to save themselves. Those were in the old days and I am hoping against all odds I never have to be there to watch another one. Hopefully the lessons learned in the last 22 years while I was not jumping that things have changed for the better.

At Lost Prairie, which was the first boogie I had been to since my last one in FL in 1981 there were a few injuries due to the altitude and the winds.... and landing issues. None of them were serious.. which is a good thing.. but its still hard to watch the medical people attending to someone out there in the field....hoping its not serious... and not knowing.
Please be carefull out there.

Survivor guilt sucks.

Amazon

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Gosh, this is a depressing thread :(. Yes I seen a few people die - latest was a double fatality at Easter at Nagambie (canopy wrap). Also lost a few friends/people I knew - without being present.

I think the experience makes you more safety minded and more favorable towards safety regulations (right Ron? ;)). I get especially upset when people die under perfectly good canopies.
---------------------------------------------------------
When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

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1 so far...didnt see the impact but was at the DZ, when I heard the impact I thought the plane had crashed, it was bloody loud. Glad I didnt see it, the aftermath of someone who went in HD at 300km/h+ (im guessing) was bad enough. Luckily a tandem with family there (including kids) who were right next to the impact area had just gone inside to watch a tandem vid so they missed the impact by a couple of minutes

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But I am sure several have already said yes even though they have never been at the DZ


And at least 1 (me) said no because we read you post carefully, and ais no because we didnt SEE it.

In any event, I dont find the 50/50 split surprising considering lots of people here have been in the sport only a short time. Add to that quite a few people from small DZs (meaning less jumps made there per year and therfore less chance for fatalaties)...
Remster

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