Skydiving
Granny - the Grandma who became a Skydiver
An interview with my mother (a.k.a.
Skydiving Granny)
 So what
made you want to take up skydiving at 50 years of age?
I can tell
you it is something I always wanted to do - even as a child. My
parents thought I was nuts (they weren't far off) and then your
father thought the same and told me I was not going to leave him
with three kids!
I was at
lunch with my son-in-law in downtown Abilene after being alone for
about 4 years and he told me "mom, you are going to be 50 next
year - why not skydive". The seed was planted and I did just
that. On my 50th went and took the AFF course with the intent to
do my one and only solo jump.
It rained
all day - the weather was not going to allow a student up so I did
an instructor tandem. It was great but still wanted to do that
solo, so three weeks later went out by myself and did just that.
The instructor on radio told me to turn right, I wasn't sure I
should with what I saw below me, hesitated and he again said "turn
right" - so I did, thus hitting the power line.
As a student
we are taught to do what we think is right even if they tell us
differently but there is so much to take in on the first jump that
I just obeyed. It made me mad that I did not land on the drop
zone so went inside, signed up for the entire course and did
another jump - landed right smack in the middle. I was hooked.
What is it that you love the most about being a skydiver?
Can't say why I love it so much
except that I have always had a desire to do this. The ride up is lovely -
there is no reference to those being afraid of height or fear of falling. Being
in the air is great - feels like floating and now that I'm learning "moves" it's
very challenging.
The canopy is peaceful and simply
just great. I've gone through many obstacles (no pun intended) to learn this
sport and still feel like I'm just a beginner. Of course, I truly am with only
200 jumps but still have enough under my belt to say I have some knowledge
J.
Some of the best times are meeting those who are there for tandems or their
first solo – to see the nervousness and then the exhilaration once they land.
You just have to try it to ever understand why a person jumps out of a perfectly
good airplane! It’s just simply fun!
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