loudtom 5 #1 June 8, 2003 I have heard from three reliable sources that Roger Nelson has died today from a canopy accident. I do not see alot about Roger on dz.com but I loved and respected him and was in the sport in no small part because of him. My love and prayers go out to his daughter Missy and son Rook. And I want everyone to know that he was a tremendous man! God Take Roger and Keep him unto himself. Tom Startztom #90 #54 #08 and now #5 with a Bronze :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jimbo 0 #2 June 8, 2003 Condolences here please: Blue Skies, Black Death - Jim"Like" - The modern day comma Good bye, my friends. You are missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GroundZero 0 #3 June 8, 2003 blue ones for sure... And the other person? Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rookie120 0 #4 June 8, 2003 Words cannot explain the emotion that I felt when Heard about this accident. I think God really works in weird ways sometimes. I was not a dear friend of Rogers, but I am proud to say he at least knew my first name, which for how many people he had runnin around that place made me feel good that for some reason, I stuck in his mind. He was an inspiration to so many people in the skydiving industry that the impact from his death will be felt for years to come. I live in colorado now but planned on going back to Skydive Chicago when I finished my school out here. Hopefully it will still be open when i return and the legacy that roger has built over the years from the ground up will stay around for everyone to enjoy, just the way Roger built it. Missy and Rook will be in my prayer's and to Roger, See you in the next life my friend!!!!If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenetch 0 #5 June 8, 2003 Mala noticia El hizo mucho por nosotros en México y solo me resta agradecercelo. Mis mas sentido pesame a sus amigos y familiares Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trevor 0 #6 June 8, 2003 Keep in mind press reports are rarely accurate: -------------------------------------------------------- Skydive operator dies in accident By Rick Jervis Tribune staff reporter Published June 8, 2003 A longtime skydiving instructor and former world champion whose company had been criticized for its safety record died in a skydiving accident Saturday. Roger Nelson, owner of Ottawa-based Skydive Chicago who had recorded more than 9,000 jumps, was skydiving with Todd Fey, a parachutist from North Dakota, about 2:30 p.m. near Nelson's Skydive Chicago drop zone, LaSalle County Sheriff's Sgt. Gregory Jacobson said. Fey drifted into Nelson's parachute, collapsing the chute and crashing Nelson to the ground, Jacobson said. Nelson was taken to Community Hospital of Ottawa then airlifted to St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, where he was pronounced dead, Jacobson said. Fey was taken to Community Hospital in Ottawa. A hospital spokeswoman would not disclose his condition. No charges have been filed, and the case is under investigation, he said. Since 1993, 14 skydiving deaths have occurred at Skydive Chicago, including Nelson's. Nelson was captain of the U.S. Olympic skydiving team in 1982 and a director at the United States Parachute Association. In 1987 Nelson was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to running an international drug smuggling ring. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #7 June 8, 2003 I am certain that when the facts are in, a concise report will come from Skydive Chicago. Until then,pease keep condolences in Talk Back, and let's not lend oursleves to specualtion and rumors. BB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kwmontreal 0 #8 June 8, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------JUMP SAFE! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #9 June 8, 2003 http://www.nbc5.com/news/2256248/detail.html Owner Of Skydiving Business Dies Parachuting POSTED: 7:24 a.m. CDT June 8, 2003 OTTAWA, Ill. -- One man was killed and another one was injured in a skydiving accident in rural Ottawa, southwest of Chicago. The LaSalle County Sherrif's Office said 48-year-old Roger Nelson was taken to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria and pronounced dead at 5:27 p.m. Nelson was the owner of Skydive Chicago, where the accident occurred. Investigators said Nelson was about 50 feet above the ground when another skydiver collided with his parachute, causing the canopy to collapse. The other skydiver, Todd Fey, 43, of Fargo, North Dakota, is being treated at Ottawa Community Hospital. His condition was released. With Nelson's death, there have been at least 14 fatalities at Skydive Chicago since the facility opened in 1993. It is one of the nation's largest skydiving operations with about 75,000 jumps a year. Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jsfreefly76 0 #10 June 8, 2003 In 1987 Nelson was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to running an international drug smuggling ring. Why does someone feel it neccessary to include this in the description of Roger Nelson's death? Is it common for to bash the credentials of the deceased? There should be nothing but praise for the work this man has done for our sport and the Dropzone that he set out to create. My condolences to Rook and Missy, our hearts are with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,397 #11 June 8, 2003 >Why does someone feel it neccessary . . . Please take discussions of the press etc to talkback. This forum is for discussing the incident in order to understand how and why it happened, and how to prevent such incidents in the future. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
