Thanks to the College’s Recreation Program freshman Adam Amick, who was born with cerebral palsy, talks about his opportunity to soar.
By Adam Amick ’13 | May 13, 2010
I wasn’t scared, at all, to jump out of a perfectly good airplane at 13,500 feet.
When I got strapped up, I still wasn't that nervous. It took us 5-10 minutes to get to an altitude of 13,500 feet. It was a surreal feeling, though, when we got to the top of the altitude and they opened the door. I still could not believe that I was this bold and willing to jump out of an airplane.
As we jumped, our first 60 seconds of freefall was fast – we were going about 120 miles per hour! This is the fastest gravity will allow the human body to fall. My favorite part of the whole skydive was when we pulled out the parachute and stayed in the air for about 10 minutes. I was able to see downtown Suffolk from the Suffolk Executive Airport. My instructor with Skydive Suffolk, Don, allowed me to control the steering of the parachute, which was an exciting experience.This is the fourth year the Office of Rec Sports and Outdoor Activities, a subdivision of RecX, has offered students the opportunity to go skydiving. Students can also participate in camping trips, intramural leagues and white water rafting trips.
We had a perfect landing when we got down to the airport. Because of the adrenaline rush, I really want to do it again. I am now hooked and plan to do my next jump at the end of May, this time in Colorado.
The skydiving shirt I received has the perfect quote from Leonardo da Vinci: “For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.”