I met Harry Parrish 13 years ago on my first skydive in Cedar Valley, Utah. He was my AFF Jumpmaster. He was a fantastic instructor, and one of the safest skydivers I have ever known. Over the years, he not only taught me many valuable things but was a wonderful friend. He was always willing to teach me with utmost patience and skill, skydive with me, help me with gear, give me words of encouragement or just a sweet smile of assurance. Harry helped me purchase my gear and get my licenses and instructional ratings. Skydiving can be hard to afford, especially when you are first starting. Harry would never let me pay for my reserve repacks. All he asked in return was that I learned as much about safety as possible, and occasionally walk on his sore back for him. Harry’s career often consumed much of his time and took him far away from us, but every chance he got he would make time to spend with us. He so often donated much of his precious free time to helping others. He has helped countless skydivers and non- jumpers progress and succeed. I remember one winter in Arizona when Harry went out of his way to join us at a boogie in Marana. He walked into our converted school bus and was greeted with a shock - we were having electrical grounding problems. The next day he showed up with a gift. He had gone to an army surplus store and bought us a grounding rod. I and many others have countless stories about Harry and his selflessness. About a year after I started jumping, a good friend of ours was killed on an AFF jump when a student had an unusually hard opening and kicked her in the neck. Her Cypress fired and she landed unconsciously on a rock - fatally damaging her heart. Harry was the other instructor on the jump. He landed by her, and did everything he could to help, but could not save her. We were all very devastated, especially Harry. What was amazing to me was what he chose to do next. A few hours later, Harry and John Cashman walked in and announced that we were going to keep skydiving that day because that was what Janet would have wanted us to do. In fact Harry and John paid for the whole plane load. Harry really helped me to deal with that loss and the loss of many of our close friends 3 years later when the plane that John Cashman was flying crashed into the Great Salt Lake. Harry was always so grateful for skydiving and the family that it provided. I have learned to accept the fact that being in this sport I will lose friends to accidents. Skydiving has it’s risks, just like any other sport or even everyday life. The thing that makes it worth it is the amazing friendships you do make. The relationships I have built through skydiving are unlike any others, these people truly are my family. The pain I feel in losing people like Harry is excruciating, but I have to accept it as part of the cost of the honor of having had him as a friend. It helps a little to know he left us doing one of the things that brought him so much joy. He taught me to try to see that as a blessing and to just be grateful for every moment we have with our friends. I have not seen Harry for 3 years now and I have been missing him. Now I will have to miss him forever. Soon, the tears and nightmares I have been having this week will slowly fade and I will be left with a few pictures and many good memories. I will do my best to remember everything he taught me. I know he will live on in so many people’s hearts. And soon, tragically and wonderfully, he will live on in his child. If Baby Parrish is even half as great of a person as his Father, I know he will make the world a better place. Rest in peace and blue skies my dear friend.
