Petty, Free Fallin', Sky Divers

[THE BETCH]

Was at the Bronco-Raider game Sunday. 4 jumpers arrived and it was electric. We need our jumpers back, however it is my understanding that the insurance requirements are cost prohibitive. Maybe somebody can step up. We need to hear Free falling once again in Wash=Griz. RIP Tom Petty

 

[NorthEndZoneDan]

The Silvertip skydivers were one of the things that made game day really unique. They were a real class act. They used to have a UM student special, for something like a 100 bucks you got run through training and one tethered jump using the Army's T-10 chute. A buddy and I did it and it was a blast. Unfortunately the east side expansion made the landing track fairly restrictive. A Silvertip skydiver was seriously hurt in 2011, broken pelvis, multiple surgeries. Pretty heroic maneuver on his part when he knew he wasnt going to make it to the field and took a bounce to avoid hitting people. That was the beginning of the end for the skydiving. Hearing Free falling while the Silvertip skydivers hit the Griz logo was the best.

 

[RABIDAWG]

In addition, I think the lights make any glide approach too dangerous.

 

[THE BETCH]

Bronco stadium has lights and is much higher than Wash Griz, therefore the glide in is much steeper. Very talented jumpers.

 

[IdaGriz01]

The Silvertip skydivers were one of the things that made game day really unique. They were a real class act. They used to have a UM student special, for something like a 100 bucks you got run through training and one tethered jump using the Army's T-10 chute. A buddy and I did it and it was a blast. Unfortunately the east side expansion made the landing track fairly restrictive. A Silvertip skydiver was seriously hurt in 2011, broken pelvis, multiple surgeries. Pretty heroic maneuver on his part when he knew he wasn't going to make it to the field and took a bounce to avoid hitting people. That was the beginning of the end for the skydiving. Hearing Free falling while the Silvertip skydivers hit the Griz logo was the best.

Heroic and self-sacrificing. His name was/is Blaine Wright and he was a super-experienced skydiver. We had season tickets back then (2011), saw it, and were horrified. It was touch-and-go later. I seem to recall that we heard on the radio after the game that they were not sure he was going to make it (but that's all they knew at that time). Here's an article about when he returned to WaGriz a year later:
http://helenair.com/news/state-and-...cle_1fd91778-21f9-11e2-899c-0019bb2963f4.html
Key quotes:

... Wright said the support of University of Montana Grizzly fans, hundreds of whom wrote him get-well letters, was crucial to his recovery. He wrote back to every person who wrote him; one of the few things he could do during months of recovery.
...
Word of his recovery started filtering through Griz Nation. One person to pick up on his signal was author and UM alum Susie Graetz, who got on the phone to UM President Royce Engstrom about commemorating Wright’s return.
...
He joined Engstrom ... before taking his season-ticket seat in the stands.
...
"It was my pleasure to go out there and acknowledge all the thoughts and cards those people sent me. And it’s great to go back to my regular seat and watch the game.”

Pretty inspiring stuff. Near as I can tell, he's still running his engineering outfit up in Whitefish. And I'm betting he's still a season ticket holder. Be nice if some enterprising writer used this (sad) Tom Petty news to do a "where are they now" about Mr. Wright.

 

[BadlandsGrizFan]

The Silvertip skydivers were one of the things that made game day really unique. They were a real class act. They used to have a UM student special, for something like a 100 bucks you got run through training and one tethered jump using the Army's T-10 chute. A buddy and I did it and it was a blast. Unfortunately the east side expansion made the landing track fairly restrictive. A Silvertip skydiver was seriously hurt in 2011, broken pelvis, multiple surgeries. Pretty heroic maneuver on his part when he knew he wasnt going to make it to the field and took a bounce to avoid hitting people. That was the beginning of the end for the skydiving. Hearing Free falling while the Silvertip skydivers hit the Griz logo was the best.

I remember this so vividly....standing in the student line..drunk naturally....the guy came screaming right over us in line and drilled that RV.....took a moment for the brain to process what had just happened.

I can honestly say that was the wildest thing Ive seen in my life to this date.