A day for our lost brothers and sisters...

[firstime 0]

I was surprised at the vote results???

[obelixtim 103]

Disagree......strongly...

Where do you get the idea that people are "forgotten"??......

We don't have to have a public ceremony to prove our grief or memories......and what people do to manifest their memories of dead friends is a private affair.....

Its a very personal thing when a friend dies skydiving.....and people are never forgotten.....in fact, lost friends are always remembered when jumpers are reminiscing about the past.....which happens a lot in skydiving......and skydivers, in my experience, never forget a friend....

Making people who never knew someone participate in a "memorial" day is hypocritical to say the least....and almost an insult to the memory of people who really lived.......and who would prefer to be remembered by people who knew how they lived.......

I understand your sentiments, but I feel they are misdirected........Skydivers don't work that way......sorry.....

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[justaflygirl 0]

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Disagree......strongly...

Where do you get the idea that people are "forgotten"??......

We don't have to have a public ceremony to prove our grief or memories......and what people do to manifest their memories of dead friends is a private affair.....

Its a very personal thing when a friend dies skydiving.....and people are never forgotten.....in fact, lost friends are always remembered when jumpers are reminiscing about the past.....which happens a lot in skydiving......and skydivers, in my experience, never forget a friend....

Making people who never knew someone participate in a "memorial" day is hypocritical to say the least....and almost an insult to the memory of people who really lived.......and who would prefer to be remembered by people who knew how they lived.......

I understand your sentiments, but I feel they are misdirected........Skydivers don't work that way......sorry.....

I am a very kind-hearted person, which some of you in this thread have had enough common sense to see, I wasnt ever suggesting that these beloved friends of ours were forgotten, what kind of a heartless moron do you think I am? I just simply out of the kindness of my heart thought it would be nice to have a day to remember their lives, not their death or how it happened. Excuse to F out of me for being compassionate, here Im virtually pulling my pants down so all of you who thought it was necessary to chew my ass to pieces over this thread, can now kiss it....

[itllclear 1]

I'm saddened that this has turned into a somewhat mean spirited thread. For those newcomers to the sport, any levity may seem disrespectful, when it fact it is often a defensive mechanism to help the survivors get through the loss.

As someone who has been in the sport for a long time, I think I have a perspective that many of the newer jumpers have yet to develop. Many of the posters to this forum were not around in the days before reliable AAD’s, square canopies, GPS, or other devices that have made this sport a lot safer.

When you're still young (under 30) you may not have been to a lot of funerals.

I've got a group photo that was taken in 1980 at the 20th anniversary of the original Taft, CA, DZ. About 200 jumpers standing in front of a DC-3, a Cessna, and a Twin Beech. At least 20 of the people in that photo, and at least one of the planes, are no longer with us, for various reason...auto accidents, Drug OD's, cancer, heart attacks, plane crashes, and of course skydiving accidents.

No matter what the cause of the death, the loss of a family member hurts. As you go to more and more funerals, it usually gets easier accept the fact that death is a part of living.

It's appropriate to mourn the loss of a loved one, no matter what the cause of the death. Wouldn't setting a remembrance day for only those who have died in a skydiving accident be disrespectful of those who have died as a result of another kind of accident, or disease? Although the Mexicans do have a “Day of the Dead” to remember ALL their departed ancestors, very few families in this country have a similar tradition.

My opinion is that the best way to remember those who have died skydiving would be to have a moment of silence at the beginning of every Safety Day to remember “those who might still be here, if they had learned what we are about to learn today.” After the seminar, go out and show respect by not getting hurt!

For now, the best thing to do is chill, and down a cool one to the memories of those we’ve lost.

Blue Skies!

Harry Leicher

"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."

"Your statement answered your question."

[Snowwhite 0]

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I think its a great idea. Now for the date part.

I honestly believe that the most people that you could get involved would be at a boogie. I would Designate the 2nd saturday in August every year as a "Skydiver Memorial Day" to remember those who have passed tragically as well as gave of themselves for the betterment of our sport.

AFAIK the second Saturday in August would coincide with WFFC where you would have the biggest concentration of skydivers from around the globe. I think this would make the best date since everyone who could not make it could listen in on the web (WFFC webcams and audio), cell phones, video and almost every other media outlet we could find outside of National TV.

In short, I'm behind it 100%

Folks, we have a memorial at the pond on the first Sunday of the Convention every year. We light luminaria, have a brief prayer/moment of silence and a nice rendition of Amazing Grace. Short, simple, touching. Please read your welcome book when you arrive for more details, it will be great to see you all there. Then we can retire to the beer tent, and toast our good friends, and the here after.

skydiveTaylorville.org
[email protected]

[tbrown 26]

Maybe not per se, but I don't see why remembrance can't be incorporated into Safety Day. For one thing, Safety Day is held at the beginning of the season. And of course, much discussion is aimed at past mistakes and how to not repeat them. A short ceremony to remember and resolve not to repeat past mistakes might be a nice touch to kicking off a new season.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[upndownshop 0]

For our family we use the third weekend of July which occasionally falls on Jerry's birthday the 23rd. We didnt plan it that way it just happened.

In 1971 one of Jerry's students taged himself as being one of "Jerry's Kids" it has stuck ever since. Now alot of older and some newer ones use that and it touches my heart everytime.

SkyFest is a celebration of his life and what he gave to the sport for 41 years. There are a ton of fallen greats that we include as well. We usually have a few old timers hanging out just cause they know and understand what it is about.

Our "history" is dying off, PLEASE take advantage of the experience, if you are lucky enough to have one of the pioneers around you.

I hope this doesnt come across as an advertisement for SF 05, this is from the heart and ALL of the Pioneers deserve MORE that what we can give them.

So if I may I would like to add this thought:

Waste not a moment searching for my grave,
To the boundaries of earth, I will be no slave.

Instead, look up on any given day,
Along side the clouds is where I will play.

As the sun goes down and day turns to night,
Across the stars of the Milky Way, I will take flight.

My love of this sport is so strong and so pure,
And each of us knows for that there’s no cure.

I know you are sad and it does not seem fair,
But you know in your hearts, I will always be there.

The time has now come to dry all those tears,
For me I would rather, you go grab your gear.

Get on the next load, I’m waiting for you,
Come fly with me in these vast skies of blue.



Tasia Tomany (Schrimsher) 10-2000

[jumpergirl 0]

Beautiful, J.

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[tigra 0]

If I'm not mistaken, Safety Day was started as a memorial/ reminder of our fallen jumpers. Perhaps even one in particular?

[ChrisL 2]

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Excuse to F out of me for being compassionate, here Im virtually pulling my pants down so all of you who thought it was necessary to chew my ass to pieces over this thread, can now kiss it....

Take it easy and dont take it wrong if people disagree with the idea.
Its not a personal attack on you. Some folks just prefer to remember in their own way.

You asked what people thought. You have to expect that some folks will not be in agreement for whatever reason.

Its a beautiful thought and you are obviously a sensitive, caring person.
Dont be bitter.

__

My mighty steed

[TheBachelor 5]

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It is a very thoughtful idea and it comes from your heart. But I kindly disagree. Let me explain why...

Those fellow skydivers who died in action deserve to be remembered, no doubt about that. But is a special Memorial Day the best way to do it?

NO because a special Memorial Day would only add arguments to the whuffo community about how "crazy" we are and how "insane" it is to let us practice skydiving and we do not want to give any arguments that could give way to more regulations and outside controls that could make our sport more difficult and more expensive to practice.

Let's incorporate a Memorial Chapter in Safety Day. It renders homage and also makes lots of sense since the vast majority of deadly incidents involved human error and Safety Day is all about learning how not to make mistakes. In the wake of a day dedicated to safety it cannot be used as argument against our sport.

I agree that it may further alienate wuffos. Maybe something attached to Safety Day would work.

There are battered women? I've been eating 'em plain all of these years...