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BirdBabe1

Eli Thompson

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I only just met you for the first time at the record after years of seeing all your videos and knowing you as one of the greats while I was coming up in this sport. Your daughter Tahani was one of the funniest and cutest little girls I'd ever seen as she would run and jump on her belly playing crash stunt man. I hurt for your families loss. I'm glad I had the chance to meet you and make that formation with you. Blue skies Eli.
108 way head down world record!!!
http://www.simonbones.com
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Eli, even though I had first met you in Singapore, i was already in great awe at what you have been accomplishing in the world of skydiving...I have been blessed to have met you and the times when we passed each other in Perris with you smiling back at me made me feel that you really cared for everyone, regardless... rest in peace and till we meet again in the blue yonder!!! My prayers go out to your family :(

Danniel Lee - Singapore
"Life is full of choices, its what we make of it that really counts"

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I first met Eli in '93 @ Perris when FF first started. Some of us AFF Instructors used to take Eli's FF vids and show them to AFF students durning their pre-jump briefings. And we'd say, "Okay here's the dive flow for level six."

What was amazing is only about one in ten would say, "No way, I can't do that!" The rest was mix of "I'm ready, let's do it," and, "Gee, we're gonna practice that on the ground first, right?"

RIP Eli . . .

NickD :)

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Gravity Rat 94:

You are truly an inspiration to a whole generation of freeflyers. First saw you on TV...then met you at Quincy..then at Nationals as the years went by.

Our proudest accomplishment as a freefly team was winning your Flyboyz Film Festival Award a couple of years ago.

You are a great one my brother.


Rat for Life - Fly till I die
When them stupid ass bitches ask why

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Some of the first FF footage i saw when I started AFF in 98 was the Flyboyz footage from the X games. This inspired me to freefly, and started my skydiving career in the direction of freefly.

Eli, you were always welcoming and friendly over the years every time I saw you, wherever that was. It was a huge privledge to be able to jump and be friends with a pioneer, freefly champion, TV star, and all around good guy.

I turned down the chance to jump with you last time I was in Perris because I didnt have much money to jump, what a regret that is now. I will remember this next time a good friend invites me out for a skydive, you just never know :-(

Blue Skies My Friend
_________________________
goat
derka jerka bukkake jihad

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Lauterbrunnen, nice mountain, big cliff, little village, snow and sun. There is everything there for make me happy ... except this place takes me 2 friends in just couple of years!

In 2005, after almost 20 years of skydiving, I decide it should be fun... to start BASE. As mentor, I chose a really serious guy: my rigger! Stefan was packing my reserve since years (and he save my life couple of time) so I think he is the right man to teach me this new discipline. Together we made couple of jumps in "Les Diablerets" (from the cable car) and we even dream to open there a “BASE school”. But during next Easter week-end, while I was teaching AFF in Italy, Stefan goes jumping in Lauterbrunnen … He never came back and he leaves his wife and his 2 children behind him!

10 year before, in 1996, I meet Eli for the first time, when I organize one event of the “ESPN Skysurfing Pro Tour” in my DZ, in Gruyères, Switzerland. He was member of the “Fly Boys” and favorite for winning the Free Fly contest. Eli arrives in Gruyères with his “legend” of champion and I was really surprised to discover a humble and “humane” person. He never refuse to transmit his “tricks” to beginners, he accept to “lose time” with journalist from local newspaper (instead of making party with friends) and he was really respectful for his host. Since there, I meet Eli 1 of 2 time per years in different place (USA, France, Thailand) and even he still surfing “at the top of the wave” he stay the same good old fellow.
And now he visit also Lauterbrunnen and he disappear, leaving Sara and his children!

That’s why I would tell here, to every Eli’s friends, what I told already to Stefan’s friends, years ago:
BASE jumping (or any jump close to the “wall”) is a really nice and exciting activity … when you’re 20, with no family “charge”, and you thing you’re indestructible. But, there is no place for mistake and …. one day, EVERYBODY make a mistake !
When you got married and start to have child, when you open your company and have responsibility or “just” when you have enough friends and don’t want made them sad … STOP BASE jumping!
Today we are all sad for Eli’s family.
But would you continue to take the risk that we should be, one day, sad for your family? Think about that …

Andreas
En chute, si que vous voyez les vaches comme des fourmis, ça va
Si vous voyez les vaches comme des vaches, il est temps d'ouvrir
Et si vous voyez les fourmis comme des vaches, c'est...trop tard!

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ok, I don't want to highjack this thread...
I also met Eli in Perris a couple of times when we (Mexican Skydiving crew) came to do some coaching jumps and Windtunnel with Eli (and Fritz, Alasja Hi and Mike...) and I was shocked when I got the news that he died Skydiving in Lauterbrunnen.
He was always smiling and full of good vibes.
My thoughts go to his family!
But this accident was a skydiving related (proxi flying out of a helicopter). You can say it was a Wingsuit accident. In our sport you choose the risks yourself. I agree (and I do it myself) that you should choose the risks differently if you have kids. And most of my friends, myself inlcuded, do this. I'm sure also Eli did it but this terrible things still happen, is it in Skydiving or BASE Jumping.
Michi (#1068)
hsbc/gba/sba
www.swissbaseassociation.ch
www.michibase.ch

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ELI, Thanks for flying with us at Summerfest '09.
It was our privilege to have you with us.
I barely met you, yet you were so humble and friendly.
I'm so sad to hear this news.
I'm very sorry and my heart goes out to your family, your teammates, and all your friends.
I met you once, ......but I miss you man!:(

"Black Raptor"

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Lauterbrunnen, nice mountain, big cliff, little village, snow and sun. There is everything there for make me happy ... except this place takes me 2 friends in just couple of years!


...

That’s why I would tell here, to every Eli’s friends, what I told already to Stefan’s friends, years ago:
BASE jumping (or any jump close to the “wall”) is a really nice and exciting activity … when you’re 20, with no family “charge”, and you thing you’re indestructible. But, there is no place for mistake and …. one day, EVERYBODY make a mistake !
When you got married and start to have child, when you open your company and have responsibility or “just” when you have enough friends and don’t want made them sad … STOP BASE jumping!
Today we are all sad for Eli’s family.
But would you continue to take the risk that we should be, one day, sad for your family? Think about that …



I'm sorry for your loss and I too was devastated when I heard that Eli had lost his life while skydiving in LB. Such an inspirational flyer, a terrible loss indeed. But please don't blame BASE jumping for the loss of your friends. Eli died while skydiving, he was performing an extreme type of skydive (proxy flight) and something went wrong. He (like Stefan in his fatal BASE jump) surely knew the risks involved in it and decided to go and do it anyway. I've lost several friends while BASE jumping and skydiving but I do not blame the sports for it nor feel angry for them because they did something they knew can cost them their life. That extreme activity they participated is what made them to be the persons they were, beautiful persons who loved life and lived it to the fullest every day. I did not know Eli personally but I'm 100% sure that for him that was the case for him also. Now it is time to mourn the loss of one of the greatest flyers of all time but at the same time cherish his life and his impact to the sport of skydiving.

Blue skies Eli!
http://www.ufufreefly.com

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One of my very memorable experiences involved a jump with Eli. It was an honor to have been able to jump with him. My condolences and prayers not only for his family, but also for those who were close to him. He was a very special person and will be dearly missed.

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The date for a public memorial has been set for September 19th; details to follow as his family makes them available.

O



The date for the public memorial has been changed to September 12th.

O



Hey O,

Have you heard anything further... the 12th is just a few days away and I haven't seen anything on time / location / etc.....

thanks,
g
"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

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I remember that weekend Jimmy T. It was amazing to watch the Flyboyz in action. They had such zest for life, as a team and as individuals, so willing to share and happy to be living, breathing joy and smiles into every moment, every skydive. The hot tub party was a highlight .... Eli had such joie de vivre!

Eli is a star that shines brightly in the sky, leaving trails of stardust, flying circles around all the other constellations in the universe.

RIP Eli. You will be missed. Condolences to Sarah and your beautiful family and circle of friends.

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I grew up with Eli. I always thought i had a special bond with him because it felt so good to be around him. It wasn't until years later I realized that he made most everyone feel that way. Those of you who knew him through skydiving, don't have to be told how much he loved the sport or how tirelessly and generously he gave his time and energy to furthering it. Growing up with him was no different. When I think back on the most fun I've ever had or the hardest I've ever laughed E was always there. I think that is what I will miss the most about him, his laugh and how easy it was to make him laugh. I just wanted to leave some words on this little virtual epitaph here, in the hopes that maybe someday his children can read this and know what an exceptional human being their father was. I miss you every day E... Blue skies fly free forever. Paul

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