Remembering Kevin Harger

[ladyflyer77 0]

Another one of our friends leaves us.

During Easter weekend Kevin Harger took his own life in Versailles KY.

Kevin was a close friend to everyone at Greene Co SPC and will be missed terribly by all who knew and enjoyed jumping with him. Kevin was a great man and a superb skydiver. We miss you Kevin.

At this time funeral arrangements have not been finalized. Information will be posted here as information becomes available.
If you would like to send your sentiments to Kevin's family you can email them to us at [email protected] and we will be sure the family receives them.


Other links about Kevin:

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=4854

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=4863&string=bigway

Photo by Marc Gambrel

If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here!

[littleskycrab 0]

OMG! I am beyond shocked! I bought my canopy from Kevin back in October and had become friends with him via telephone calls and e-mails. What a super nice man he was. I will miss him.......

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."

[ladyflyer77 0]

Quote

OMG! I am beyond shocked! I bought my canopy from Kevin back in October and had become friends with him via telephone calls and e-mails. What a super nice man he was. I will miss him.......

It is a sad and hardly able to believe this happened kind of day. Kevin was a super nice man and he will be missed.
I'm sure Kevin sold a lot of gear to different people.

If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here!

[skydiver30960 0]

I'm the big red Kool-Aid Man lookin' guy right behind Kevin in that picture. TO THIS DAY, I would probably count that as the most perfect skydive I've ever been on.

Kevin took me from my last static line through my 45 second delays. He was an awesome guy who always tried to get the newbies involved without overpassing their limits.

The times around the bonfire were awesome. He used to be in a folk band, and when he brought out his guitar and his singing voice it'd blow you away. I ALWAYS begged him to play Southern Cross for me, and he usually did even though it was in a key that was really hard for him to sing. Still sounded awesome. It was tough listening to that song last night.

I haven't seen him in a couple years; I could make some guesses at what might have driven him to such an end but couldn't be sure, and honestly don't need to. I'm sure that wherever he is now those demons are gone. I hope it's just like his 600th: that perfect last skydive of the day, with the sun as warm on his face as his smile was on our hearts.

Blue ones, buddy.

Elvisio "so tired of losing all the good ones" Rodriguez

[ladyflyer77 0]

Kevin's remains have been cremated and will remain in Kentucky at the request of his family.
His family is planning to have a memorial jump for Kevin in June and release his ashes over the parachute center. Everyone is invited to attend.

I will try and post more info as it is presented to me.

If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here!

[littleskycrab 0]

Thank you for the update. I will try & make it there in June.

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."

[littleskycrab 0]

I was looking through my e-mail inbox this morning and came across several e-mails from Kevin. The last one was sent to me 3 weeks before his death. I noticed while reading these e-mails, that they were ALL inspirational messages............

I couldn't help but shake my head and wonder why...

I didn't know Kevin "in person", meaning I hadn't yet met him in person. But I did have many conversations with him over the phone and exchanged many e-mails & MySpace messages with him. I knew him only as a kind hearted, happy man with a beautiful singing voice. Therefore, I find his death to be simply unbelievable.... hard to imagine, therefore hard to understand. I didn't know him as a troubled person, depressed, unhappy or otherwise.

That's the thing about deaths like his...... the "why" never really gets answered..... regardless of what they leave behind as an explanation. And I suppose that's the difference in a healthy mind and an unhealthy one. A healthy mind will never understand how one can commit such an act.... an unhealthy mind sees the act as a solution.

I guess my mind is healthy, cause I just don't get it..... I wish his had been too....... I really want to talk to him. I miss calling or e-mailing him on Mondays and sharing stories about our various canopy rides on the Tri 135 he sold me............. he said she was his baby & to take care of her. He really enjoyed this canopy and would sometimes message me on a Tues (if he didn't hear from me on Mon) to see how my jumps went and how she handled for me. I just took a canopy course....... I would love to share that with him. I miss him.

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."

[ladyflyer77 0]

Times will be hard and very strange for a while. It's strange how we can adjust our lives to involve our friends. Kevin was just that to many of us, a good friend. You didn't have to meet Kevin in person to know he was a good guy. You can tell that just by talking with him via phone, online, whatever.
I'm pleased to hear you have things in your life you shared with Kevin that allows you to remember. It's healthy to look back and remember.
I sent you a PM. It has my number on there if you ever need to talk to someone.

If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here!

[WGore 0]

I don't think that any of us can understand another persons demons. What makes it more strange is that I don't think that I have met a more up beat person than Kevin. He always had a smile and good word for everyone. Whenever he was on a load that I was flying he ALWAYS said thanks for the ride as he was climbing out.
Kevin had a lot of friends it is a shame that he didn't fall back on them in his time of need. They are without a doubt the best therapists going, or at least that is the way it works for me.
As one of Kevin's friends pointed out suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. There aren't to many problems that a good friend can't make better by just listening.

GUNFIRE, The sound of Freedom!

[littleskycrab 0]

that's what i was thinking. without my friends, life would be tough. however, i've been through enough ALONE to know that i can still get through ANYTHING and come out stronger on the other end. i'm a born survivor. i see that as a big positive in my life.

i will always have good memories of kevin, for that i am thankful. it never ceases to surprise me how much my jumping friends, distant and close, have come to mean to me. i'm thankful for that too!

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you."

[ladyflyer77 0]

Some stuff about Kevin that some of you may not have known. This was published in the local paper.

Kevin was employed by Tony Roma's in Lexington, KY. He was a founding member of the "Castaways" with George Wolfford and Warren Cobb. He served in the 82nd Airborne and was a passionate skydiver, pilot and videographer, recording more than 600 jumps and forging friendships around the country. A memorial skydiving jump is being planned. Visit www.skydiveky.com for information on this "Blue Skies" tribute. Donations in his memory to Big Brothers Big Sisters would be appreciated.
Published in the Lexington Herald-Leader on 4/21/2007.

If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here!