Taz

[billvon 2,394]

It's been almost a year since Taz died in Empuriabrava. I still think about her sometimes.

The first time I met Taz she was looking for me, at one of Kate and Tony's events. "You're Bill von? Wow, I finally get to meet you! I printed out all your articles on bigways and I was reading them on the plane," she said, holding a folder full of stuff. I was suprised since I've only written a few such articles, and they were mainly back in the rec.skydiving days. But I was glad some people were getting some use out of them.

Then the bigways started, and I ended up as plane captain of one of the trail planes. We had a very oddball group in the back of that plane. There was Taz, who was always up for trouble. We had Al, a jumper from Hawaii who spent the whole event silently freezing to death in the cold seat. (He never complained.) We had Lemonhead and Mark Brown, who developed these bizarre rituals having to do with candy wrappers in people's shirts. There was Amy, who was always willing to harass Lemonhead about something.

At one point, Amy was going to get someone to start 'crying' about something so I could tell them "Hey! There's no crying in bigways!" Another plan had to do with the confiscation of all the candy wrappers that had begun to accumulate; a ransom was discussed. At least it was never boring in the B plane.

As a plane captain, they were a great group. None of them had much trouble with the skydiving part, so I didn't have to come down on them. They knew to stop messing about as we got onto jump run, and they took things reasonably seriously once we were ready to go.

And they were very entertaining in the plane. Every once in a while there'd be a commotion, and I'd turn around to see Lemonhead laughing, Mark Brown looking uncomfortable, and Taz or Amy looking improbably innocent. Al just looked cold.

After a few jumps I made some changes to the exit, and talked to Taz about bigway exits. (She was doing fine; there were just some details to go over.) "Hey Taz, on exit try to pick up the base earlier; it's going to be right about here when you get out."

"OK captain my captain! Whatever you say."

"They're changing the timing of the superfloater, and that might mean the base will be higher referenced to you; so be prepared for that."

"I'll do anything you say!"

"When we line up . . . . anything I say, really?"

"Anything at all. Really." OK, that was distracting. Which was probably her goal, given her slightly evil smile.

After the bigways ended I put together a 'troublemakers' load, which consisted of all the people who just wouldn't shut up, and who spent their time in the plane harassing the other jumpers (which provided me with free entertainment.) It included Kate, and Mary S, and Amy, Taz, Lemonhead, Mark Brown, and 14 other people. I figured it would be fun to get all those people on the same plane, if for no other reason to give them grief.

Then there was a 60 way for someone's birthday, and a sunset load, and we never got to do the troublemaker's jump. That night Taz thanked me for, in her words, "putting up with her." If only everyone was as easy to 'put up with' as her . . .

Amy and I spent some time with her during the JFTC, and we offered her a place to stay. Not a bed, of course, she wouldn't hear of it - but she allowed that perhaps she could sleep on the floor in the garage. It became a bit of a running joke.

At World Team, we'd often start the day with a dirt dive. We'd all assemble, and for about five minutes you'd have a chance to wander around and talk to people. There were a few people I'd always stop to say hello to - Amy, Mary S, and Taz. She was a little hard to find since she was so short, but once I figured out where she was in the lineup it was easy. I remember her rig looking huge, but it was just a normal-sized rig on a very small person.

We were going to have dinner on Wednesday night, since Amy had a team dinner thing to go to. Then we got the record that day and everyone forgot all their other plans in the massive party that followed. I figured there'd always be another time.

I guess there wasn't. I spent Friday going through all her old emails, her reluctant-proud admission that she had indeed gotten on World Team, her threatening to come out and sleep in our garage for the next Perris event. I was really looking forward to watching what she was going to become - you knew from talking to her that she wasn't going to be happy with a few world records and whatnot. Now we'll never know.

[selbbub78 0]

Taz was an amazing skydiver. With more world records than most, she was incredible. She always lived life to the fullest, and did so much with it. She's missed by all!

CReW Skies,
bubbles

"Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone
"The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote)
"The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM

[skytash 0]

It was her birthday on Sunday and there was a lot of crying at BritChicks as well as lots of remembering good times. We blamed her for the bad weather and told her to sort it - which she did on Sunday. Karen baked her a fantastic birthday cake with the trademark Tazmanian Devil on it.

Her mum Hazel and sister Gail were also at Langar and both did a tandem. The chicks in red suits were about to debrief when they were on their call, so we all ran out to the plane to wave them off. We de-briefed while they were climbing to altitude and then greeted them when they landed.

Having met some of her family it is clear how she turned out to be such a fantastic person and all of us who have had the honour of watching her make trouble miss her with a tear and remember her with a big smile.

tash

Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe

[mrobiette 0]

Thanks for putting this back up bill. She is not forgotten - her memorial page is still live, and people are still contributing:
http://www.crwdiva.org/taz-memorial/

Last Sunday was her birthday, and also the weekend of the Brit Chicks record attemps. Her family helped to sponsor them, and her mother and sister did tandems on the sunset load. The chicks sang happy birthday to her and there was an amazing Taz birthday cake.

Other things that have happened over the last few months - there is a new BPA "Taz Causer Skydiver of the Year Award", which was awarded for the first time to...Taz Causer! She was also awarded a Royal Aero Club bronze medal for her amazing achievements over the previous year, which Gavin collected on her behalf (http://www.royalaeroclub.org/award06.htm)

We will all miss her in Empuriabrava this weekend when the next CFWR selection camp starts.

Blue skies Taz, wish you were here, it won't be the same without you...

Martin

[FionaB 0]

I've just found the note I wrote 2 weeks after the one year anniversary:

"Taz, where do I start?
I miss you SO much. I still can't believe you're gone. Some of us still forget that you're gone and we keep thinking that you're just away on a trip and that we're going to see you next weekend, or that you're just going to come bouncing round the corner.
I can't believe it's been a year.
We all miss you so much.
We all thought of you at Brit Chicks. You were on the back of our t shirts too!! You'd have been so embarassed by that wouldn't you?
Back in January at the AGM your Mum said we'd get it on your birthday, and that was the only day of good weather we got! and at least we got the 52 way red cross - which I know you would have loved doing!
Be with us in September and sort out some great weather for us babe - please!! You were on the last 2 Brit Chicks - we want you with us for the 3rd.
Watching your Mum and Gail doing their tandems was awesome. Your Mum said that you were giggling from a cloud. I think you were the "jesus rays" coming through the clouds after they landed - just checking on them eh?
Last weekend was the anniversary. There was a LOT of turquoise around at Langar. Some of us were worried that you'd be forgotten - but you never will. We'll always miss you and always love you."

I don't think I can add much more.
Miss you babe.
Fi xx

[tbrown 26]

We were going to have dinner on Wednesday night, since Amy had a team dinner thing to go to. Then we got the record that day and everyone forgot all their other plans in the massive party that followed. I figured there'd always be another time.

I guess there wasn't.

[adamUK 3]

Just remembering friends.. I only met you a few times Taz, shortly before your ill-fated trip to Empuria. Just letting you know you're not forgotten.

[Merkur 1]

The Memorial Website is still there:
http://www.crwdiva.org/taz-memorial/

vSCR No.94
Don't dream your life - live your dream!

[Remster 24]

Yeah... I spent a while just the other week on it... :-)

Remster