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Turtletop

Tragic accident

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I would like to say hello to all the wonderful people on this board. I am a new member. I have a reason for joining. My sister was injured in a skydiving accident. She is very lucky to even have survived. She is a fighter and has a long battle ahead of her. On September 21, 2007 she was in Hawaii planning her first jump over the waters, her jump went bad in a matter of seconds. She broke her back in several places and shattered her foot. She has undergone 11 surgeries and is still got a lengthy recovery in the years to come. She is in Queens Medical Center in Hawaii, while her family is on the Mainlands. Unfortunatly we have not been able to visit due to financial restrains. There has been a tragedy account set up to help her with the overwhelming medical finances she has incurred. She just had the last surgery in hopes of saving her foot. If this surgery does not take then the Dr's are going to have to amputate her foot. This would be devastating for her, as it would anyone. She is a very outgoing and energetic person. I can hardly see where this would slow her down, but I know it will be a tough challenge for her. She has been battling VRE staph and gangrene with multiple surgeries. Please keep her in your prayers!

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So sorry to hear that! Please give your sister my best and know that she and your family are in my thoughts and prayers!



Thank you so much! It means alot to us. IT hurts me everyday to hear the pain she is enduring. You can read more about her accident here

(http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=297528347)...she describes it in great detail.

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What type of accident was it? This was not her first jump was it? Just her first jump "over the waters"?. I couldn't find any info on DZ.com or google about the accident. I tried to go to the myspace page but got this message a few times when I clicked on some of the links:

You have reached a link that is no longer in service. That means the link was very naughty, and, much like head lice, had to be eliminated before it spread.

Very sad that you have not been able to visit her in half a year.

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It was only her first jump over the waters. We set her up a webpage here

www.geocities.com/Blessedx3_07

I am not sure if links are allowed in this forum. It has the story about her accident and it is very interesting. If that link doesn't work let me know.

Thanks,
Courtnee

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Well we just got the devastating news and my sister will be having her foot amputated next week. We are trying desperatly to get a family member there with her for this surgery.

Please Please keep my sister in your prayers!




My heart is breaking for her and I am searching for any information I can to help us support her. If anyone has any information please send it my way, it would be much appreciated.

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I got word today that my sister had her fever spike up to 104 through the night. She has a very serious infection and we have been unable to reach her by phone. She was suppose to talk to the Dr today about having her foot amputated since the last surgery was not taking. She may be having an emergency amputation today. Which saddens me since she is still all alone.

I am searching for information about amputations. If anyone has any information please forward to me. I live in Texas, but she is in Hawaii. Please keep her in your prayers!

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For those that care. My sister had her foot amputated today. She is out of recovery now and seems to be coping well. Please go to her page and leave her encouraging words. She will be counting the days to be back in the air. her website is

www.geocities.com/Blessedx3_07

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hi, this is my first post on dropzone, i took my first skydive last week and am starting my license certification this week. i read your post and checked the site you linked as i am wanting to be knowledgable about the true dangers of the sport. let me say my condolences. two things that sturck me odd and if you could clarify i'd greatly appreciate. what dropzone did she jump from? and also on your geocities link she is in a tandem suit from skydive elsinore (where i just jumped/ w the same suit on) how long had she been jumping and what went wrong? thanks

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Read her story, it can be very helpful. She was jumping at Skydive Hawaii. But she jumped at Perris. She has something around 60 or so jumps, if I remember right.

From her story it seems like the wind pushed her into the mountain. I learned in Hawaii and first thing I can tell you is the winds out there are high. Most of the time they are over at least 10+. Hawaii is different then other DZ's in the since that where it is situated isn't the best place for newbies. Next to the landing area, which is at the end of the runway, to the right is a mountain and to the left is water. If they are south winds they come over that mountain and cause major major turbulence. The winds out there will take you for a ride if your not counteracting it.

I will say this, one thing Kelly said in her story was that she thought she would be fine on her second jump because everyone else was going....I know some of the guys out there and most of them are extremely experienced and have been jumping in Hawaii for a long time. For example, Papa Dopp, a TI at Skydive Hawaii has close to, if not more then 10,000 tandems. Jake, who is also a TI at Skydive Hawaii has several thousand jumps. Hawaii is known for producing some awesome canopy pilots because of the conditions.

TURTLETOP---I would post Kelly's story on the incidents forum. You will get way more people to read her story.

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Turtletop,

My heart goes out to your sister as well. In fact, when you next speak with her, tell her to email me at [email protected] -- we probably have a lot in common. I too was a skydiver, and I too was badly injured back in 1999. Today I am the proud owner of a lot of titanium hardware in both of my legs, and I no longer skydive regularly (just the occasional tandem). My life has taken on a lot of interesting turns since my skydiving days just as your sister's will.

If she'd like to talk, I'd be more than happy to offer her all the encouragement and comradship as I can.

I also have a book she might enjoy reading ... that might make her laugh, just a bit.

Blue skies ...

--rita

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