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RkyMtnHigh

MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR GUS WING

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Whether you knew Gus or not...Dawn has done a beautiful job on his website

["www.guswing.com"]


If you didn't know him...you'll feel like you did after you read comments from his loved ones. He was an amazing man who made such a difference in our skydiving community. Gus will be missed and Deland wont be the same without him.

C Ya in the Blue Skies, Gus...I look forward til when we meet again.





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Work and family things kept me from the memorial.....I hope it was as surreal as i thought it would be.....i will miss you bro....fly forever free and thanks for crossing my path ....I will never forget you.....It was almost spooky when the winds went from 0 to 15 at 5:00 today in Miami..... i will never forget this day......


In the end...the universe has a way of working itself out.... "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle"

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According to my friends, they said that the space shuttle went off at the time of Gus' memorial service and it was so amazing as Gus' always dreamt of being part of a shuttle launch. How amazing! The world works in mysterious ways. Gus' dreams are coming true.





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(coming to you live from the RV park at the DZ)

The Memorial Service was beautiful.
Just before Jumpers Away, there was a RAINBOW, not the regular kind, but on a tiny little cloud in the sky.. it was soooo awesome, we all knew Gus was there.

Two planes went up, otter(?) & porter and dropped the formation. Bob Hallet released Gus's ashes... it was STUNNING. His ashes created a cloud in the sky that seemed to stay forever. Mark added glitter to the pack so it shined & sparkled. I tried to take pictures, we'll see if they turned out.

After everyone landed, we had a small ceremony around the pea pit and it was touching. Gus's family said some things, friends shared.. we cried. Judging by the video I would say there was no less than 250 people standing around the pea pit... Flocks of birds flew across the runways as if to fly in a symbolic formation, also saying so long to gus!

The culmination of the evening was just after dark when there was an impromptu Rocket Launch that no one seemed to be expecting. So there we are, standing in front of the packing hanger and up out of nowhere we get to watch the rocket take off into space and as flew up into the sky, seperated from inital boosters and then fired it's final ignition sequence, it was as if it let off a big white firework as it punched out of the atmosphere.

We all cheered.
It took us 12 hours to get here, and we have to turn right back around in the morning and drive home, but it was SO worth it...

Updating you FROM DeLand...

Pink Suits, Blue Skies, & Fast Tunnels,
Dawn Suiter

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According to my friends, they said that the space shuttle went off at the time of Gus' memorial service and it was so amazing as Gus' always dreamt of being part of a shuttle launch. How amazing! The world works in mysterious ways. Gus' dreams are coming true.



It was the final Titan launch.
If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

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According to my friends, they said that the space shuttle went off at the time of Gus' memorial service and it was so amazing as Gus' always dreamt of being part of a shuttle launch. How amazing! The world works in mysterious ways. Gus' dreams are coming true.



No, I think there was a bit of a mixed message there (the shuttle is not scheduled to launch until at least 22 May), but Shannon Pilcher was describing how Gus filmed his team in a diamond formation during a launch a few years back and how Gus landed screaming at the top of his lungs about how cool it was. It was the only time Shannon had ever seen Gus exhibit that much emotion and it is a memory he will cherish.

As will the rest of us now that he shared it.

I just read the rest of the thread about the Titan launch and understand the confusion, though.

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I wanted and intended to be there but MikeForsythe advised me to not make the trip because Gus would be so pissed if I got in an accident on my 3 hr drive u[ or was hospitalized for the setback in my currentr condition which is pretty bad. Damn I wanted to be there to support my Delandian family.[:/]





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Whew! I thought I'd lost it, because I didn't see a thing. But I knew there wasn't a shuttle launch yesterday, just the final launch of the Titan.

It was good to see you again, Jack.

rl
If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

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It truly was a beautiful and fitting memorial for a great man in the sport. I've never seen so many people at the dz, there had to have been over 300 people there. My favorite part was seeing Lydia and Bill hugging as everyone was talking about Gus. It was a huge lovefest and I'm so glad to have been able to be there.
She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

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The memorial service for Gus Wing was very special. Friends and family shared fond memories of Gus and the special impact Lydia had in his life. Several children were there and played in the pit during the service. Among them was Bobby Hallet's little boy, just starting out in his life on the dropzone. We think that the children also brought joy and hope to the day. Gus got his wings when he bicycled to the dropzone April 23rd.

Blue Skies to him, his family, and friends.

Here a few photos taken April 29th.

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The Memorial Dive has been posted on Gus's Website. It's the next best thing to having been there yourself.

http://www.guswing.com/memorial_dive.html

Pink Suits, Blue Skies & Fast Tunnels,
Dawn Suiter



Very nicely done, Dawn. Thanks.



okay, so I posted a couple of condolences, reflected on Gus a little, wished him well and sent thoughtful healing vibes out to Bill, then got on with my life. Another death that happens in this sport, talked with a few close friends in Deland over the phone got on with things (all the time quietly wondering how Bill was coping with this and feeling bad for him).

Then I viewed the site and saw the picture of Lydia hugging Bill and just lost it..... this skydiving family may be the most dysfunctional family in the history of humanity, but when we come together we fucking rock!! Lydia, you always were and always will be a classy human being - why else would Gus have chosen you to share life with, and Bill, you're simply awesome as a pilot and a person. That picture sums up everything, both of you know you're loved!!!!!!!!!!!

Dawn, thanks for putting the site together, I know from personal experience the toll that it takes and you've done a wonderful service.........
Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

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Yes Dawn, thank you for the service you've done for Gus's family and friends. The website looks wonderful. Very thoughtfully done.

Gus was a kind-hearted, talented person, and he will be missed. We are also thankful to be apart of the skydiving family. What an opportunity we all have to be born in this generation.

Love while you can.

From Olivia with Annie & Rosalyn

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It is my great honor to do this for Gus, and for all of you.

Being in Deland was especially hard, on a normal trip, I would've seen our close friends, and scooted out mostly unnoticed, but so many people singled me out.. it was a long crying fest. Spending time with Lydia and her parents & Gus's Brothers, was almost too much. Bill & Lydia, together, made everyone cry again. I think alot of people thought they had moved past the tears.. but no such luck, there wasn't a dry eye in the hundreds of folks there. This one is going to take a bit longer than usual. Earlier today, when I received the video clip (which was added today) and then I put his ashes & a rainbow in the header of the site.. well.. more tears came pouring out... I miss him...

so many cherished memories and so many lost opportunities...:(:(:(:([:/]>:(:(:(

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It is my great honor to do this for Gus, and for all of you.

Being in Deland was especially hard, on a normal trip, I would've seen our close friends, and scooted out mostly unnoticed, but so many people singled me out.. it was a long crying fest. Spending time with Lydia and her parents & Gus's Brothers, was almost too much. Bill & Lydia, together, made everyone cry again. I think alot of people thought they had moved past the tears.. but no such luck, there wasn't a dry eye in the hundreds of folks there. This one is going to take a bit longer than usual. Earlier today, when I received the video clip (which was added today) and then I put his ashes & a rainbow in the header of the site.. well.. more tears came pouring out... I miss him...

so many cherished memories and so many lost opportunities...:(:(:(:([:/]>:(:(:(



Gus will NEVER be forgotten. The impact he made in so many of our lives will live on.

Dawn, I just looked at the updated www.guswing.com and you've done an amazing job. You've captured his true self..the pics and video clips are awesome. Thanks again, Dawn.





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I know, I know, it's been a while..
but I still receive tributes, photos & memories.. updating the website keeps this pain pretty fresh in my mind & heart.

Today I added a new photo of the Ash Dive from Rickster and countless tributes...

I'm trying to keep updates to once a month because it takes so long to recover from the sadness..I can't do it every week anymore... there I am, long after finishing, just hitting play again on the song.. reading, over & over..
sometimes I think I'm still in shock..

and then I think about those who have joined him since... what an AWFUL YEAR THIS HAS BEEN!:(:(:(:(

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