tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050996142546962834.post6825438563788195719..comments2024-03-28T17:23:47.590-07:00Comments on DJan-ity: You're Going to Skydive?DJanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07152183871573797791noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050996142546962834.post-69421894346372497202009-03-22T12:49:00.000-07:002009-03-22T12:49:00.000-07:00I think it's worth mentioning that during the firs...I think it's worth mentioning that during the first year or two after you first started skydiving, because of your excitement level, you couldn't even talk about skydiving without jumping up and down the whole time you were talking. Too bad you can't count all those jumps -- you'd probably be over a million.Buzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17820913066052044418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050996142546962834.post-85233662678228368272009-03-22T11:36:00.000-07:002009-03-22T11:36:00.000-07:00A fascinating story DJan! I think you are very bra...A fascinating story DJan! I think you are very brave. I could never do something like that, I'm sure. I think we all have bravery within us, but that it comes out in different ways. I think the picture of you both in the sky is awesome and one to treasure. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.<BR/>Blessings, StarStella Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06699491230987143490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050996142546962834.post-19961225197962560922009-03-21T18:53:00.000-07:002009-03-21T18:53:00.000-07:00"Freefall becomes your whole existance." Yeah, yo..."Freefall becomes your whole existance." Yeah, you got that right! <BR/><BR/>Like you, I made my first jump shortly after a friend of mine died. Because a friend of mine died. <BR/><BR/>I was a nursing student, dating one of my patients, a guy who spent the night in ICU after an asthma attack, while I was doing a rotation there. I was assigned to be his nurse, and in those days nurses still gave backrubs... (yeah, baby!) There was an immense attraction between us, and after he was discharged from the hospital, he called me. He was a skydiver and I was smitten. <BR/><BR/>Skydiving was one of those things I had always wanted to do, it was on my bucket list, although no one called it a bucket list back then. When I was young I liked to climb to high places and jump off. Like tree limbs, the chicken house roof... Once I saw parachutes descending over a nearby field and I said to myself, I want to do that someday.<BR/><BR/>My new boyfriend's name was Steve Johnson. He jumped at Sky's West in Loveland, was an instructor there, and he invited me to come learn to skydive. I intended to, but I was a little busy then with nursing school, two part time jobs, and raising kids. And there was the little detail about money... I had none. <BR/><BR/>Steve and I had only gone out a few times when I heard on the radio about the mid-air collision in Loveland. It was Sunday, April 17, 1981. As soon as I heard it on the radio, I had a funny feeling. A bad feeling. Yes, Steve Johnson was killed in the collision, but the rest of the skydivers and the pilot (Dave Vigan) parachuted to safety. All the people in the commercial plane were killed.<BR/><BR/>Three weeks later I took a Trailways bus from Cheyenne to Ft. Collins, and took the static line course. I used the grocery money, robbed the tip jar, somehow I scraped together the money for the first jump course. I made that first jump for me, but Steve's death inspired me to do it, just do it. <BR/><BR/>My first instructor was Ellen Baake. A soon-to-be boyfriend was supposed to have been on the fated load, but for some reason was bumped. And after five years in the sport I met Bob, the love of my life.<BR/><BR/>Just do it!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing your memories, and for stirring up some of mine!Linda Collisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15184486912118207613noreply@blogger.com