Would you rather “be able to fly or be invisible?”
Kerry Smith took on a skydive in memory of her Mum last year and raised money for our hospice. Here she tells us more about the experience.
“If someone asked me would you rather be able to fly or be invisible? I’d always choose “to be able to fly” and that’s exactly what being in freefall felt like.
Completing a skydive was at the top of my ‘30 before 30’ list as soon as I made it, as well as doing something big for charity. So, I decided to combine the two and do a skydive in September 2020 to raise money for St Catherine’s Hospice who gave such wonderful care to my Mum in 2017 and 2018.
St Catherine’s made it possible for my Mum to remain at home peacefully, showing incredible support to my family as well, during and after that time
My Mum developed breast cancer back in 2014, however towards the end of 2017 it came back, and we were told she only had a few months left with us, which is when we decided on having St Catherine’s help.
My Mum was a big part in choosing St Catherine’s. It was lovely for her to know who would be helping to care for her in those last months of her life, and she, herself, couldn’t have been more complimentary of all the staff.
Being able to raise money to support St Catherine’s so that they’re able to be there for others when they need it the most felt most rewarding
When it came to booking my skydive, I watched video after video to hype myself up, however due to COVID, it was postponed twice.
When I eventually booked it third time around, my nerves had subsided due to the disappointment of two failed attempts. It was only when I got onto the plane that my nerves kicked in and at 1,000 ft I couldn’t imagine going another 9,000!
The whole experience is so surreal and the rush you get when you leave the plane and are suddenly ‘flying’ in freefall is the kind of adrenaline that makes you feel completely alive. The rush is impossible to put into words, but one I’d happily want to feel again.
I honestly can’t recommend Go Skydive in Salisbury enough. Both my instructor and cameraman were the most reassuring, calm and kind people. They made sure all COVID restrictions were in place, which made everyone feel really safe.
I honestly couldn’t recommend doing a skydive enough and being able to do it for such a wonderful charity was just even more special
I was completely overwhelmed at the amount of love and support I had and I can’t put into words how grateful I am to everyone who sponsored me, messaged me and supported me. It was brilliant to raise an incredible £1,175 for the hospice.”
