caico.katie

Thank you so much for that piece of information. Man, some of you guys (gals) can be so nice and helpful. I really appreciate that. I think that in comparison to most of you I would be considered "old" and you know how ignorant some of us old people can be about some of this Internet stuff

21 is a kid, believe me. Average life expectancy for women being 74 to 78, she still has 53 to 57 years left. Would you consider a book almost read if only one third of the way through? Why, you might not have even reached the climactic point of the story yet. 21 is a kid. In fact, Rick, although 37, also displays the characteristics of a kid -- perhaps kid isn't based on just calendar age, but also mental, and emotional maturityl I know Shayn very well -- she is still a kid. She is growing up qickly, but when she made this jump she was very much still a kid.

Okay, I'm not even going to fix that one.

Hey Hex, I just checked out your profile... so, what makes you a Nerd, I mean, that is what you called yourself. My personal opinion is that "nerds" will someday rule the world, if they want to. Do you wnat to?

I don't WORRY about dying. That is what I meant to say... anybody else getting tired of my typos? I sure am... or should i sey eye sur em.

No, actually I think statistics are scary to anyone who loves anyone. I don't about dying, I worry about my kids dying. My own death does not frighten me, why should it? I would be gone. The death of a loved one is what I fear.

I like your little saying about ringing the bell and running off.

I was referring to the murder statistics being scary, not the skydiving statistics. But really, more than being scary it is sad, sad that anyone could have so little respect for life that they would murder someone.

Shayna didn't call the television station, the television station called her after they heard there was a video of the accident. Her accident was covered in the paper of her hometown, Ash Grove, MO. One of her high school teachers sent the story to the paper. In little towns stuff like this is big news. The thing just snowballed from there.

When I first got news that Shayna had been injured, what I heard was "Shayna didn't land quite right and knocked out five of her teeth." The information dribbled in slowly until finally I hear that she is in critical condition, suffering from multiple injuries and has bleeding in the brain. I think Rick was really scared. Most of Shayna's family has not welcomed Rick in with open arms; I am sure he was very worried about them blaming him for Shayna's accident. I think that is why the severity of her accident was reported at it was. Also, most of her family thought she would do the first jump and that would be the end of it, so Shayna doesn't really have a lot of family approval either (at least concerning her choice to jump repeatedly). As for the publicity, give it about ten days and it will all be past. American news loves to show the tragedies; I mean, they are making this out to be a miracle, but my opinion is that the only reason they are covering it is because there is a video -- we, as a nation, are so much like the Romans, lusting for blood and violence. Movies turn people getting hurt into comedy -- getting hurt isnot funny! I stopped watching the news a long time ago because it was too upsetting -- constant bad news. Is that all the American people want to hear, or is that all the American press wants to cover. It is news when good things happen too. So, what good thing happened to you today? (question directed at anyone who reads this)

What are the fact? Where will we find these facts? Are we sure that these facts are indeed facts? (PLEASE NOTE: this is not an attack, they are questions. I would like to know just why my beautiful little smashed her face.)

Well, my son is starving so I have to get off of here and feed the poor "little" guy. I'll check back later to see whatever anyone has to say.

Damn, I didn't proof read that (when WILL I learn?) that was suppose to say high wire performer, not hire wire.

Oops, I didn't realize that I had already posted that... please excuse the duplicate... No, she didn't blame the car, although I do have another friend who was severely injured in a car wreck, in which the car was to blame -- sometimes things, just like people, fail at what they are suppose to do, that is just life. Life is one big risk, a risk that none of us voluntarily take on. We are conceived by no doing of our own. We are born, and struggle through life, hopefully having some good times along the way. But life is not safe, everything we do involves risks. A friend of mine told me about one of his friend who was a hire wire performer. He performed many years without a net. then, one night when he got up to go to the bathroom he fell down the steps in his house. He has now been in a comma for 1o years. Life is a risk, but hopefully we all find the risk to be worthwile (I know that unfortunately there are those out there who don't and they end up killing themselves -- that is very sad).

Here's one (not skydiving related however): My daughter's best friend's mother was in a car wreck several years ago due to swerving to avoid hitting a car. She lost control of her car. The car rolled several times before coming to a stop. The woman survived, but with suffered multiple injuries and lost her right hand. She is an artist, a right handed artist. Amazingly she is able to continue her art, and, she is also now teaching art at a local school. She had no health insurance to cover her medical bills, but the community rallied to her aid. Although there wasn't enough money raised to cover all of the bills, that which was raised was very helpful and greatly appreciated.

There is one primary reason the "publicity" Shayna is getting bothers me -- I know there are a lot of people out there with just as amazing survival stories, and they are not being noticed, so, why don't we all, instead of bantering back and forth over who is to blame and how horrible the coverage is, share some amazing survival story, or maybe even some sad, tear-jerking fatality.

Actually, as far as I know Shayna isn't making any money off the exposé. My husband (who is an entertainer) suspects that she will get something for being on TV, but when I asked my sister (Shayna's mom) if Shayna was getting paid, she replied, "No." Now, about the money thing: Shayna definitely needs help with her medical expenses (as does probably just about every other American), so I hope she does get some financial reward as a result of the publicity. Shayna did not want to make a big deal out of this, believe me. She was just happy to have survived, and thrilled to be pregnant. If, when all the chatter had hit the Internet skydiving chats when the accident took place, every skydiver who posted a message had sent $1 to Shayna to help with her medical bills all of this "publicity" would not have taken place -- Shayna had nothing to do with the news coverage, it was initiated by one of her high school teachers as an attempt to bring attention to Shayna's accident and the resulting financial burden. Her teacher was just trying to help. She heard about the accident, and Shayna's lack of medical coverage and set up a medical fund for Shayna. The teacher then proceeded to gain attention to the fund -- she was just trying to help.

My apologies to the eyewitness -- I did not intend my words to be an attack, really.

Actually, to me it still sounds bad -- the statistic you quoted is down right SCARY!

Boy, I REALLY should proof read before I post (if Shayna reads this she will just laugh -- I am constantly having to send corrections to my e-mails). 1.) typo on Shayna's name, "Shayne" 2.) "There is a lot of other stuff going on in her... (insert "life" here). 3.) "just step make* for a minute" make* should be "back" 4.) "Just think what a wonderful (insert "world" here) this could be" Now that you all know that Shayna has a crazy, obsessive-compulsive aunt maybe you will take pity on her and be a little nicer -- poor kid, she spent a lot of her early years with me! Maybe that is what compelled her to jump.

Yes, I do know for a fact that she jumped with this trust -- I am Shayna's aunt (so much for the anonymity). So, since I have "come out of the closet" on that, I will go ahead and address another issue: coming down on Shayna for the publicity that she has supposedly sought out. Shayne did not have anything to do with the publicity she is getting. One of her teachers from high school contacted the local paper (Ash Grove); the thing just snowballed from there. The Springfield news station gave her coverage, and the next thing Shayna knew she was getting calls from New York. I know, she could have said no, but I don't think she saw this "publicity" as a bad thing. What 21 year old girl wouldn't soak up all the attention? So why doesn't everybody here just stop judging her, and Rick. There is a lot of other stuff going on in her (as with any one of us) so why can't we all just be nice. There is an ancient Buddhist saying that goes something like: Praise not the mountain for being high, nor scorn the valley for being low, for each are as they are for that is there nature. So, although some of you may disagree with Shayna taking advantage of the attention she is getting, why don't you just step make for a minute and try to have a little empathy. Shayna was a beautiful young girl with a lot of hopes and dreams. She started making, in my opinion, a few bad choices about two years ago (I am not referring to skydiving as one of those bad choices), but it is her life to live, just as your life is your life to live. It is my opinion that the goal of any person should be to make life better not just for themselves but for anyone they meet; how can we make life better for someone by criticizing them and judging them? Okay, I have one more little sermon then I will stop. I quoted Buddha earlier, now I would like to quote Saint Francis (I know, I am a confusing person). Just think what a wonderful this could be if we could all strive to achieve the characteristics listed in the following excerpt from the peace prayer of St. Francis: Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is discord, harmony; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is error, truth; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. Okay, I'll push my soapbox aside for know. Happy HOLIDAYS Everyone! ;) Aunt Katie

In response to your questions about my profile: I prefer to remain anonymous, hense the reason I have no profile. I am here mainly to read the forums, not partake, but I have gotten a little tired of the blaming game. In 1989 the death rate for skydiving was 1/75,000. I read a more recent report that states that the death rate is now 1/100,000 -- those still aren't very good stats. Shayna stating that is a one in a million senario is sadly mistaken. Last year in America there was something like 27 skydiving deaths -- I know that is fewer seaths than car related deaths, but how many of us need to skydive to work? This is a choice that everyone makes for themself. Shayna made the choice to jump, so she is ultimately the one to blame for her injuries. However, she jumped with a trust that her chute(s) would open without any problems -- naive, or misinformed. Perhaps a little of both. She is just a kid, and kids don't think they can get hurt, that is why insurance companies charge more for younger drivers than older drivers, it isn't just related to experience, it is related to recklessness. Recklessness is a part of youth, and unfortunately some recklaee youthes never make it into their thirties. Shayna was lUcky to survive this accident, but will she be so lucky next time. Is the thrill really worht the risks. I suppose for a lot of you it is, but then I don't really understand type A individuals, even though I am married to one.

Who packed Shayna's parachute? Did Shayna? I heard it was an employee of the DZ. Perhaps I heard wrong. As for witnessing the accident: how much could this observer see from her groundside view? As for me attacking the messenger, isn't the messenger attacking the injured party? I don't believe Shayna is giving a bad name to parachuting -- it is a dangerous sport, any life insurance adjuster will tell you that. As for who is to blame for this accident: in my opinion it is a mix, an improperly packed chute or perhaps malfunctioning equipment used by an inexperienced jumper who didn't know how to adjust for the situation. It isn't any one persons fault. I have been reading a lot of posts on this site that blames Rick West for Shayna's accident, and then others who say it is all Shayna's fault for not knowing how to handle the situation. Why DO we have to attack others. I wasn't attacking the witness, I was simply asking a question. While in a restaurant in Siloam Springs my sister was told about a similar accident at this same DZ; that is all I was asking.

Is that what the FEDS who investigated the accident said, or is this just you defending you dz? I heard that a similar accident happened at your dz not long ago (maybe a year ago)?