Nine Years Later
On Sunday 28th June 2009 my dad
completed a tandem skydive at Hinton Skydiving Centre in Brackley. At the age
of fourteen I watched him complete an act of bravery by jumping out of an
aeroplane into the clouds below. He was inspirational for doing so because it
was not long afterwards he was transferred into a nursing home due of his
primary-progressive multiple sclerosis. Nine years later it was my turn.
I arrived at Hinton Skydiving Centre in
Brackley at 11.30am on Thursday 28th June 2018 with my mum, sister
and a family friend. On our drive to the airfield I looked up at one of the
clearest summer skies above us and remember thinking it was going to be a
surreal experience to jump out of an aircraft at 13,000 feet.
When we arrived, I felt very anxious. I have
never been scared of heights, but I was scared that something could go wrong;
the parachute may fail to open. This anxiety continued when I signed the safety
declaration forms; when requesting photographs and videos of the jump; during
the safety briefing; when getting into my suit; and as my dad, one of his
carers and my two cousins arrived very soon afterwards.
There was only a brief amount of time to talk
to my seven supporters before my name, ‘Borrett’, was called and it was time to
fly into the sky. Just before 1.00pm I said my goodbyes, hoping I would see
them again. I along with three other nervous jumpers met our instructors and
walked to our plane. My skydiving instructor was called Stuart. Even though he
joked he had recently been ‘promoted from cleaning the toilets’ I knew I was in
capable hands. After all he had recently been bobsleighing too. From my travels
to Canada with my cousin, Rufus Lakin, I knew how dangerous this can be too.
During our plane ride up to 13,000 feet, Stuart
completed the final safety checks and did his best to slow down my very fast
breathing. The aircraft smelt of nervous, excited sweat; we could hear the
flurry of the wind brushing against the windows; grip hold of the leather plinths;
taste petrol; and watch our loved ones shrink as the number of the altitude
clock continued to climb.
At 13,000 feet the doors opened and I saw the
drop into the blue sky and white clouds below. A number of solo skydivers went
first before two sets of other tandem skydivers. Soon afterwards it was my
turn. As I dangled on the edge of the plane 13,000 feet up in the horizon and
with Stuart strapped in behind me, what was I thinking about? Surprisingly I
was not thinking there is a chance the parachute will not open and I could die,
or I should be sensible and go back inside. Despite a dry mouth, sweat dripping
down my arms and legs and my heart thudding, I was thinking about the board
game, Articulate Your Life. I was coming up with ways in which to describe
words.
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| I was thinking about the board game, Articulate Your Life...Copyright © 2018 Jake Borrett. All rights reserved. |
Then Stuart let go and we tumbled into the
brightest blue below. In freefall I remember the rush of wind hitting my face,
looking at the camera man floating below us, and the sense of freedom. After an
unmeasurable number of seconds, the parachute opened and we sailed into the
sky. Then silence. A strange silence where all I could hear was Stuart’s voice
giving me a tour of Northamptonshire from above the clouds. We could see
Silverstone Circuit and the airfield. It was spectacular. We descended down to
the airfield in our blue and orange parachute and into the hugs, smiles and
cheers of loved ones.
It is difficult to describe what it feels like
to complete a tandem skydive. Only people who have done one will understand
that, and they themselves find it challenging to remember every detail.
However, I do remember feeling anxious, terrified but more so exhilarated,
magical, free and strangely, alive.
It was also an honour to complete a tandem
skydive in aid of the two charities, Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Dyspraxia
Foundation. Both have supported me every day since being diagnosed with Crohn’s
disease at the age of thirteen and dyspraxia at the age of eighteen. The people
who volunteer and work at the organisations have been there through all the
achievements but also on the darkest of days too.
I am also thankful to my loved ones who came to
watch as their son, brother, cousin or friend descend from the sky above. In
particular thank you to my dad. He inspired me. If he did not have the courage
to jump out at 13,000 feet in June 2009 I would not have experienced it for
myself nine years later.
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If you would like to kindly donate as part of
my tandem skydive for Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Dyspraxia Foundation you still
can by following these links:
For Jake Borrett’s Team Page, please follow this link:
To donate to Crohn’s and Colitis UK, please follow this link:
To donate to Dyspraxia Foundation, please follow this link:
Thank you so much for your kindness.
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| The parachute opened and we sailed into the sky...Copyright © 2018 Jake Borrett. All rights reserved. |
