OTTAWA - SDC Continuing Coverage-- Press Clips

[ltdiver 3]

http://www.times-press.com/newsmain.php?storyid=5686


Skydive Chicago director dies in jump

By DAN CHURNEY — For The Times-Press

Roger W. Nelson, program director of Skydive Chicago center north of Ottawa, died Saturday after an accident at the facility.
Nelson, 47, of rural Sheridan and a native of Lisle, was pronounced dead at 5:27 p.m. at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, a few minutes after he arrived at an emergency room there without a pulse or breath, said the Peoria County Coroner’s office. An autopsy was conducted today.
Nelson was skydiving with another parachutist, Todd R. Fey, 43, of Fargo, N.D., at 2:30 p.m., when Fey collided with Nelson’s canopy about 50 feet above the ground, which caused Nelson’s canopy to collapse, said the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office.
Fey’s canopy remained intact, but he suffered leg injuries after getting entangled in parachute cords and was taken to Community Hospital of Ottawa. Fey is a member of the Marine Corps.
Nelson, who had defended his operation’s record against critics who questioned its safety, was the 14th parachutist to die while skydiving at the facility since he opened it in 1993. The last parachutist to die lost his life in July.
Nelson’s brother, Carl, also died in a skydiving accident in 1979.
Nelson said last year that reckless behavior was the usual cause of skydiving deaths.
After a spate of deaths in 2001, La Salle County State’s Attorney Joseph Hettel had looked at Nelson’s operation, but found that no official action could be taken and that skydiving is a relatively unregulated sport.
“If someone wants to jump out of an airplane, there’s not much we can do about it,” Hettel said.
La Salle County Coroner Jody Bernard added:
“Skydiving is a very unforgiving sport if something goes wrong. That could happen to anyone, even if they had a lot of experience. Obviously, I’ve been out there a number of times and I have not seen any blatant disregard for safety.”
However, one of Nelson’s former employees, questioned practices at the facility.
“He (Nelson) would put people in the air in unsafe conditions to make the almighty dollar. The carelessness, the recklessness was accepted and promoted by Roger Nelson himself,” said Terry Murray of Evergreen Park.
Murray added that Nelson often “whipped” in between people while skydiving.
The possibility of death is an accepted risk among parachutists, said a skydiving facility owner familiar with Nelson.
“In skydving, accidents happen and that’s a risk we all take. They (Nelson and Fey) were both highly-experienced jumpers,” said Rose Eakins, owner of Skydive Hutchinson in Minnesota, where Fey worked part time.
“The place (Skydive Chicago) is phenomenal. Roger Nelson was an icon in this business,” Eakins added.
Nelson was a pilot and had skydived more than 9,000 times since 1971. He was also captain of the U.S. Olympic skydiving team in 1982 and served as a director of the U.S. Parachute Association.
He also participated in a cocaine and marijuana smuggling ring during the 1970s and 1980s that operated between the Bahamas, Florida and Illinois. He had representation from famed attorney F. Lee Bailey and pleaded guilty in 1987. Nelson was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and was released in December 1992.
In a report published last year, Nelson mused on the thrills and dangers of skydiving:
“People who don’t jump criticize us. Some people don’t think living to 95 years old, with tubes sticking out of you, with all your family dead and no one to care about you, is really the best way to live your life until you die.
“(Skydivers are) willing to risk injury or death when they skydive for the exhilaration to feel alive and to live their lives. If they die, well, that is the sacrifice of the enjoyment.”

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[skydiverbrian 0]

That's a very fair article. I'm impressed.

In a world full of people, only some want to fly... isn't that crazy! --Seal

[Guest]

Yeah, but who will Tantrum Terry bitch about now that Roger is gone? Seems that Terry has lost his whole raison d'etre...

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[TandemTerry 0]

SPREAD THE LOVEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

[TandemTerry 0]

think terry is "Chief" on Rec.dot. I've never seen him post here - thank heaven.

Judy


Im here now judy! is this the way Roger talk you to Spread The Love???

Terry

[jlmiracle 7]

Sorry terry, but Roger never told me anything about spreading the love. I liked Roger, and it looks like hundreds of other people did too.

I bet your proud as puppy with 2 tails. (what did they kick you off rec.dot?)

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[TandemTerry 0]

Terry (aka Tandem Terry from rec.skydiving aka "Tantrum Terry" by his detractors) has posted here previously. I believe he's been asked not to post here due to his personal attacks.


Wrong! Im here! You guys are skydivers and can't get it right. What makes you think the media can?
Spread The Love!!!!!

Terry

[billvon 3,009]

>Wrong! Im here!

Well, as a moderator then, let me ask you to please refrain from personal attacks.

[TandemTerry 0]

Well, as a moderator then, let me ask you to please refrain from personal attacks.


Is that just for me or everybody here on the ng? Seems like i'Ve been getting personal attacks.

Terry

[billvon 3,009]

>Is that just for me or everybody here on the ng? Seems like i'Ve
>been getting personal attacks.

It is for everyone. They can't attack you, you can't attack them.

[sangiro 26]

Terry,

I sent you an email (in response to your two). Let me state it here publicly as well. I have never tried to please everyone on Dropzone.com. I have been around long enough to know about your crusade on rec. for as long as I care to remember. I find it ironic that someone who has built a legacy around attacking an individual now cries for help to protect him from personal attacks.

You are not going to find too much sympathy from me. My tolerance level for that kind of BS is very low.

As I said, I'm not trying to please everyone. If I see even a single post here that remotely resembles the kind of behavior you display and thrive on in rec. I'll simply ban your username without explanation and continue to do so with every new one you register.

This is not a democracy. It's my house.

Safe swoops
Sangiro

[MikeMcLean 0]

Quote

In a report published last year, Nelson mused on the thrills and dangers of skydiving:
"People who don't jump criticize us. Some people don't think living to 95 years old, with tubes sticking out of you, with all your family dead and no one to care about you, is really the best way to live your life until you die.
"(Skydivers are) willing to risk injury or death when they skydive for the exhilaration to feel alive and to live their lives. If they die, well, that is the sacrifice of the enjoyment."

Can anyone confirm that this is a Roger quote? I think I may have just found a new email signature quote, but don't want to use it unless it is "real." (And of course, we all know that if it is printed in the newspaper it must be real )

It wouldn't hurt you to think like a fucking serial killer every once in a while - just for the sake of prevention

[skydiverbrian 0]

Quote

This is not a democracy. It's my house.

Thank you HH! There's a reason I've never been on wreck-dot and this is it!

By the way... anyone that wants to send balloons to Roger's memorial on Monday, there's a great florist in Ottawa who's been very helpful to me. No advertising on the forums, so PM if you'd like their info.

In a world full of people, only some want to fly... isn't that crazy! --Seal