Sunday, June 9, 2002

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In Commemoration of John Keating and Jerry Suggs

When we organized this trip, I said that we would dedicate each skydive to an amputee in recognition of that amputee's ATTITUDE and success in life despite amputation.  Because I want to show my great respect for and to celebrate the lives of my two riding associates, John and Jerry, I wanted to use my skydive as a way of saluting their successes and achievements.  On their behalf, on this date, I made the first commemorative skydive of this trip.

Today was the answer to a dream.  Two years ago, while recuperating from my amputation in a wheelchair, a guy by the name of Al Krueger e-mailed me with encouragement and invited me to someday join him in a skydive with a group of amputees called the Pieces of Eight.  Because of the gracious and selfless acts of Al, Lyle, Loopy, Mike, Dan, and Skip, today my dream came true.

The day started off with overcast skies and a ceiling too low to jump.  With each passing hour, it seemed that the skies would never clear but soon after noon, the clouds lifted and blue skies returned.

After gearing up, Al and Mike try to keep this fledgling from getting into trouble.  One group picture and we are out the door attempting a five-way while trying to keep this old guy from making an early departure from their formation.

Having thousands and thousands of jumps, these guys made it so easy for me that all I could do was sport a grin from ear to ear from 14,000  all the way down to 5,000 feet.  Special thanks to Mike Dominci for making it a smooth exit and staying level with me during the free fall.

Under canopy, everything is right with the world.  It doesn't get any better than this.

Thank you Pieces of Eight.  It was a true honor to have been allowed to jump with you because every day that you guys jump together you make this world a better place for amputees.  Thanks for the memory and I look forward to future opportunities to rejoin you in the air. 

Due to a blood clot in his atrial chamber and a case of pancritis, Jerry was not able to make the tandem skydive he so much wanted to do.  The word "can't" is not in his vocabulary so we have not heard the last of Jerry's skydive. 

Tomorrow, after passing through the mountains, we will ride past the Salton Sea.  Check back with us tomorrow for a continuing journal of our experiences and more riding photos, particularly of John and his Trike.

T

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