Walt Rosso has finally finished all 50 States!

[TFFTM 1]

Walt Rosso, (S.O.S. # 243, C-1766, D-18507 ) who regularly jumps with us @ Opelika Skydiving, completed his last state jump in Hawaii this last week.
Just wanted everybody to know how proud we are of his accomplishment.

This is a link to his pics.
www.skydivehawaii.com

BSBD
Home of the Alabama Gang

[palstev 1]

Congrats Walt, I made a jump with him last year at Gold Coast when he passed through there.

[matthewcline 0]

My Congrats to Walt!

I haven't made a jump with him in a few years, but I am glad to see he is still active and he got his 50 states!

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Anybody want to hear my story about Walt's 1000th skydive at WFFC 2001?

[matthewcline 0]

YES!

It has to be better than the version Joe told me.

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[scrublink 0]

I am proud to say that I helped Walt by getting him a jump in NH. 2-3 years ago. There wasn't an active DZ in the state at the time but my home DZ is on the border. Wasn't any more trouble than having a "bad" spot and arranging a ride back. There was never a doubt in my mind that he would finish his quest.

Congratulations Walt.


Ed

[BIGUN 1,053]

Met Walt at the 2001 or 2002 WFFC. He was wearing a 173rd Airborne cap. Went up, introduced myself and he asked if I wanted to make a jump which we did. Next day is the sponsored Casa all Women's naked jump. Everyone on the DZ watching the bevy of beautiful naked skydiving ladies load up the plane. We watch them exit, freefall and open under canopy. Walt is standing behind me and I hear him say, "Ya know, I said a little prayer last night asking God if he could make it rain T&A; and by gosh He did it. I laughed for two days. He passed thru Tulsa two years ago on his 50 state trek. Sent me a 173rd Airborne Flag.

Congrats, Walt!! You're what skydiving's about, Bro.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[TFFTM 1]

Just a quick Update:

Walt is going to be interviewed by CNN this Saturday at our DZ about his 50 state saga. He and Buddy Blue (DZO, D-597) are supposed to a 2 Way skydive for the interview.


Check out Walt's Skydiveradio interview -show #39.

BSBD
Home of the Alabama Gang

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Please tell both of them I said to "pull their string!"

[FallingOsh 0]

I still want to hear your story about Walt and his 1000th

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Stay positive and love your life.

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Quincy 2001. Walt's 1000th jump on his 65th birthday. The dive was supposed to be about a 16-way wedge with Walt at the tip holding up a banner declaring his accomplishments, plus the statement "on medicare". My dad and another very, very experienced jumper were going to basically AFF Walt right off the ramp of the CASA so he could fly the banner in both hands immediately.
They totally zoo'ed the exit and Walt was out there flapping, litterally. Scott Sheck, my ex-wife, and I dove down and stopped him from spinning and steered him toward the video guy. The rest of the dive was pure chaos. People zipping by at full speed. One guy docked on the video guy! I think there might have been maybe eight people finally dock. Anyway, Walt did not have a good plan for break-off. Even if he did, none of the people who were supposed to be up front with him were left on the dive. The three of us docked up front in the diamond broke off and tracked at around 3500, leaving old Walt there grinning his ass off at the camera guy, steadilly cruising toward mother earth and oblivious to the altitude. The camera guy got scared at 1,300 feet and dumped. This left Walt going "what the hell" and looking down, then going oh shit! He let go of the banner with his right hand and dumped just as his CYPRES fired. Two out, VERY low, and over the corn field. He chopped his main and landed in the corn over across the runway from the loading tent. Almost exactly the same place where the Venezuelan skydiver went in and died towing the sky tube. Sheck landed over there and fetched the main and came back over covered in dirt and sweating his ass off. Walt was slightly shaken, but another jumper had just won a raffle on the bomber and gave it to Walt. Walt borrowed a rig and went straight up and jumped the bomber ten minutes later. Unbelievable.

I have photos of us before the jump with Walt holding up the banner (which I made) at my house somewhere.

Chuck Blue
D-12501
-proud participant of Walt Rosso's 1000th skydive zoo load

[packerboy 3]

There HAS to be video of that!!!

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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[TFFTM 1]

Well CNN stayed most of the day interviewing Walt. He did a great job and at the end of it 2 of the CNN crew made tandem jumps.

Don't know when it will air but probably a few months. It will be run on Headline News and a CNN show that talks to retired seniors about their hobbies.
We posted some more pics to our website.
www.skydiveopelika.net

BSBD
Home of the Alabama Gang

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

That's cool. Tell everyone back home I said "hello."

[Suavel 0]

Hello back.

I'm gonna miss you at Rantoul, Uncle C. Hope the move(?) goes well!

[riddler 0]

Nice story, SM1 It's good to start the day off with a laugh.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[bluskytrvlr 0]

I have been the record keeper for The 50 State Fallers and Walt is the 8th person in The World we have recorded to jump all 50 states. An exclusive club!

A mile of highway can take you a mile
But a mile of Runway can take you anywhere!

Blue Sky Traveler