I speak from personal experience when I tell you that skydiving is one of the most exhilarating sports on the planet. I have jumped twice, both times in Pittsfield, Maine. The first time in 1978, and the second in 2002.

The first jump was with an old-style military round parachute. The landing was a bit hard. My college buddy and roommate, Ken Irons, also jumped and ended up in the trees, hurting only his pride. And I strained my neck from the weight of the helmet, but survived the outing.

The second jump was all part of a radio promotion. Management asked every one at the station if they would like to skydive with Jimmy Olander, lead guitarist for the country band, Diamond Rio. No pun intended, but I jumped at the chance. The parachutes were high-performance and rectangular in shape, and the landing was soft. I loved it, and would do it every day if time and money allowed.

But like everything, there's always a chance that something, someday may go wrong, as it did for 51-year-old, Craig Stapleton in Northern California.

ABC's Good Morning America covered the story:

 

More From WQCB Brewer Maine