Brush with death!

[dr1zzle 2]

Hey yo my skydiving friends!! I am writing this because I am wanting to know if there is a slang phrase that is used for someone who has a brush with death while skydiving but ends up completely uninjured? Or for someone whom gets super lucky and has an opening that is extremely low due to malfunctions, well below hard deck. And I am being serious here please don't post things like "Dumbass".. I had a friend save his own life recently while having a double malfunction and he fought to the very end and was able to get his reserve opened fully at 50 ft. I wanted to make him a helmet sticker and wanted to reach out to the community for ideas on what to write. So I figured their may be a slang phrase thats used that I haven't heard or that I'm just not thinking of that is used for such low openings or brushes with death..

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

"Bonus Days".

Seeing as he should, by all reasonable measure, be dead, any day going forward is a 'bonus day' here on earth for him.

Your sticker could read something like:

"Enjoying my bonus days."

[JoeWeber 2,720]

19 hours ago, dr1zzle said:

Hey yo my skydiving friends!! I am writing this because I am wanting to know if there is a slang phrase that is used for someone who has a brush with death while skydiving but ends up completely uninjured? Or for someone whom gets super lucky and has an opening that is extremely low due to malfunctions, well below hard deck. And I am being serious here please don't post things like "Dumbass".. I had a friend save his own life recently while having a double malfunction and he fought to the very end and was able to get his reserve opened fully at 50 ft. I wanted to make him a helmet sticker and wanted to reach out to the community for ideas on what to write. So I figured their may be a slang phrase thats used that I haven't heard or that I'm just not thinking of that is used for such low openings or brushes with death..

Those events are nothing to be proud of and are certainly nothing you want to think about or have memorialized. 

[dudeman17 340]

On 11/24/2024 at 4:17 PM, dr1zzle said:

...I am wanting to know if there is a slang phrase that is used...

 

On 11/24/2024 at 6:03 PM, wolfriverjoe said:

"Bonus Days".

Wolfriverjoe has that exactly right. That is an old, old phrase that originated in skydiving waayyy back, and is for just such an occasion.

-----------------

7 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

Those events are nothing to be proud of and are certainly nothing you want to think about or have memorialized. 

I could not disagree with you more. This guy didn't space altitude, pull low, or do something stupid to put himself in a corner. He had a double mal and fought it and pulled it out in the nick of time. He should absolutely be happy about that, and it should be talked and thought about, both to try to prevent such problems in the future, and especially to solidify for himself and others to never give up. Congrats to the dude and good on his buddy (the OP) for wanting to recognize the successful effort!

Edited November 26, 2024 by dudeman17

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

3 minutes ago, dudeman17 said:

 

Wolfriverjoe has that exactly right. That is an old, old phrase that originated in skydiving waayyy back, and is for just such an occasion.

-----------------

I could not disagree with you more. This guy didn't space altitude, pull low, or do something stupid to put himself in a corner. He had a double mal and fought it and pulled it out in the nick of time. He should absolutely be happy about that, and it should be talked and thought about, both to try to prevent such in the future, and especially to solidify for himself and others to never give up. Congrats to the dude and good on his buddy (the OP) for wanting to recognize the successful effort!

It IS a very old phrase. I'm old and have been around 'for a while', but not that long.

We simply don't know what happened. He didn't say anything other than a double mal and reserve fully open around 50 feet. 

No info what or how or anything.

I agree that sharing that info to try to prevent future repeats, or to simply amplify the 'never, never, never, NEVER give up' mantra, would be a good idea, but that's a different discussion.

He wanted to know if there was a phrase to describe surviving something like this.

One of the things I've always loved about jumping and the people I've jumped with is the amazing, yet unconventional accuracy in the way some things are phrased.

If the OP wishes to share more info, I'd be willing to share my opinions and thoughts, but that's not what he asked for. 

 

[dudeman17 340]

11 minutes ago, wolfriverjoe said:

We simply don't know what happened.

While that may be specifically true, I was just going by the OP's description and the 2nd part of my answer was generalized to disagree with JW's assessment of such events. I thought that would have been apparent.

[JoeWeber 2,720]

53 minutes ago, dudeman17 said:

 

Wolfriverjoe has that exactly right. That is an old, old phrase that originated in skydiving waayyy back, and is for just such an occasion.

-----------------

I could not disagree with you more. This guy didn't space altitude, pull low, or do something stupid to put himself in a corner. He had a double mal and fought it and pulled it out in the nick of time. He should absolutely be happy about that, and it should be talked and thought about, both to try to prevent such problems in the future, and especially to solidify for himself and others to never give up. Congrats to the dude and good on his buddy (the OP) for wanting to recognize the successful effort!

As someone who fought to open a streamering reserve just in time to make a hard landing in a mud field I can assure you that anyone who would have handed me a commemorative beer mug to celebrate the occasion would have instantly found cause to regret the kind sentiment. The cause for the streamer and the solution I have discussed as appropriate but I don't celebrate the anniversary. Of course to each their own.

Edited November 26, 2024 by JoeWeber

[dudeman17 340]

15 minutes ago, JoeWeber said:

As someone who fought to open a streamering reserve just in time to make a hard landing in a mud field I can assure you that anyone who would have handed me a commemorative beer mug to celebrate the occasion would have instantly found cause to regret the kind sentiment.

I think that is unfortunate. I would hope that you'd be happier about your success.

 

17 minutes ago, JoeWeber said:

to each their own.

Indeed.

[David Wang 54]

Have you asked your friend how he feels about what happened? Everyone handles this kind of thing in their own way.

[JoeWeber 2,720]

1 hour ago, David Wang said:

Have you asked your friend how he feels about what happened? Everyone handles this kind of thing in their own way.

And that is the word. I knew there was a reason l liked your style.

[JoeWeber 2,720]

1 hour ago, dudeman17 said:

I think that is unfortunate. I would hope that you'd be happier about your success.

 

Indeed.

I just lived that time. You want to hear about an early days Tandem horseshoe that had lines around my neck going through 3 grand? Maybe one or two small Stiletto on my back spinners with the handles in weird locations? Give me your address and I'll send you a Joe's an Honor Jumper sticker. It's not a success, it's the bare minimum that we teach: never, ever give up. 

[dudeman17 340]

3 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

You want to hear about an...

I dunno. You want to hear some of my NSTIWTIWGD stories? If ya don't give up and ya get yerself through them, then yeah, it's a success.

Skydiving/Parachuting as we practice it is a sport that it supposed to be fun. It is an elective. It is fraught with danger and deadly potential. It is a blatant act of self-reliance. If one is going to participate in such things, one should study and be aware of all those potentials, and what should be done about them. When those potentials actually happen, if that pisses ya off, then what ye're really pissed about is yer own lack of study, preparation, and perhaps the proper decision about whether ya really oughtta be there. Sometimes the reaper takes the full swing with the sharp edge, sometimes he smacks ya in the ass with the blunt end of the stick. Once ya get through it, I've always thought the proper response was to thumb my nose, give him a raspberry and laugh in his face. Not during, after. I'm not gonna get pissed at him for chasing me because I rang his doorbell and ran off.

But yeah, to each their own.

Edited November 26, 2024 by dudeman17

[kleggo 145]

I've used the phrase "bonus time", but bonus days is certainly close enough.

I was thinking of bonus time many years ago as we finished a CReW jump at Lake Wales.

We were flying back to the DZ~ 4000 feet when I heard / saw / felt 5 belly fliers blow by me less than 80 feet away.

I was truly frightened for the next 30 seconds or so as I tried to look up through my canopy to try and avoid Death From Above.

 

The CReW organizers and manifest had a spirited discussion thereafter (understatement).

[JoeWeber 2,720]

8 hours ago, dudeman17 said:

I dunno. You want to hear some of my NSTIWTIWGD stories? If ya don't give up and ya get yerself through them, then yeah, it's a success.

Skydiving/Parachuting as we practice it is a sport that it supposed to be fun. It is an elective. It is fraught with danger and deadly potential. It is a blatant act of self-reliance. If one is going to participate in such things, one should study and be aware of all those potentials, and what should be done about them. When those potentials actually happen, if that pisses ya off, then what ye're really pissed about is yer own lack of study, preparation, and perhaps the proper decision about whether ya really oughtta be there. Sometimes the reaper takes the full swing with the sharp edge, sometimes he smacks ya in the ass with the blunt end of the stick. Once ya get through it, I've always thought the proper response was to thumb my nose, give him a raspberry and laugh in his face. Not during, after. I'm not gonna get pissed at him for chasing me because I rang his doorbell and ran off.

But yeah, to each their own.

The OP was discussing making a commemorative "helmet with a sticker", I think David Wang nailed it. You and I, not so much.

[kallend 2,027]

18 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

As someone who fought to open a streamering reserve just in time to make a hard landing in a mud field I can assure you that anyone who would have handed me a commemorative beer mug to celebrate the occasion would have instantly found cause to regret the kind sentiment. The cause for the streamer and the solution I have discussed as appropriate but I don't celebrate the anniversary. Of course to each their own.

As someone hit from behind and knocked into line twists with collapsed end cells at 100' agl by a guy spiraling through the pattern at Z Hills (to get on the next load), and  then managing to land without breaking anything, I was charmed when TK presented me with a Z-Hills carabiner watch as a thank you for not contributing to the DZ's accident data.  The photo taken from the ground even made it into USPA's Safety Day ad the following year. 

[JoeWeber 2,720]

2 minutes ago, kallend said:

As someone hit from behind and knocked into line twists with collapsed end cells at 100' agl by a guy spiraling through the pattern at Z Hills (to get on the next load), and  then managing to land without breaking anything, I was charmed when TK presented me with a Z-Hills carabiner watch as a thank you for not contributing to the DZ's accident data.  The photo taken from the ground even made it into USPA's Safety Day ad the following year. 

I guess I’m just not a romantic like you guys.

[obelixtim 150]

"Teased the Reaper".

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

On 11/25/2024 at 9:24 PM, dudeman17 said:

While that may be specifically true, I was just going by the OP's description and the 2nd part of my answer was generalized to disagree with JW's assessment of such events. I thought that would have been apparent.

It was. I was just trying to clarify my position on it.

It may well be that the 'brush with death' survivor needs a good talking to, some remedial training and perhaps some time off to contemplate what he did wrong.

It may be that he wound up in a situation that 'just happened' and he was lucky & determined & skilled enough to escape.

And, as was pointed out, much of this would be determined by the survivors attitude & opinion of it.

Personally, anytime I've come close to becoming a statistic (never that close, but there have been a couple), I would sit down, go over what happened, ask myself what I could or should have done differently and how to avoid it in the future. 
A couple times I grabbed the S&T A and went over it with him, asking for his input.

I've known jumpers who just 'laughed it off', ignored what they did and kept on keeping on. Those folks usually ended up going upwards on my 'bounce bingo' list.

I've also known a couple that came to the realization that they could actually die doing this. They knew it intellectually, but hadn't fully internalized that reality.

And they quit.

Personally (again), if it was me in the situation, I would accept a sticker reading 'Enjoying the Bonus Days' with good humor. I don't know it I would put it on my helmet or not, that's something I'd have to think about.

But as a 'congratulations for surviving something really close', I would appreciate it.
But not everyone would.

[JoeWeber 2,720]

20 hours ago, kallend said:

As someone hit from behind and knocked into line twists with collapsed end cells at 100' agl by a guy spiraling through the pattern at Z Hills (to get on the next load), and  then managing to land without breaking anything, I was charmed when TK presented me with a Z-Hills carabiner watch as a thank you for not contributing to the DZ's accident data.  The photo taken from the ground even made it into USPA's Safety Day ad the following year. 

What sort of prize did the asshat videographer get?

[kallend 2,027]

28 minutes ago, JoeWeber said:

What sort of prize did the asshat videographer get?

TK tore him a new one.

[JoeWeber 2,720]

4 minutes ago, kallend said:

TK tore him a new one.

He needs a sticker on his helmet: "Got torn a new one for being a selfish jerk". Now that sort if honor I can support.

[airdvr 210]

"It's bad form to go in without all your handles pulled."

[lippy 918]

On 11/24/2024 at 6:17 PM, dr1zzle said:

Hey yo my skydiving friends!! I am writing this because I am wanting to know if there is a slang phrase that is used for someone who has a brush with death while skydiving but ends up completely uninjured? Or for someone whom gets super lucky and has an opening that is extremely low due to malfunctions, well below hard deck. And I am being serious here please don't post things like "Dumbass".. I had a friend save his own life recently while having a double malfunction and he fought to the very end and was able to get his reserve opened fully at 50 ft. I wanted to make him a helmet sticker and wanted to reach out to the community for ideas on what to write. So I figured their may be a slang phrase thats used that I haven't heard or that I'm just not thinking of that is used for such low openings or brushes with death..

Not sure if you're familiar with the phrase "No Shit There I Was, Thought I Was Gonna Die" that Dudeman alluded to with 'NSTIWTIWGD', but it's the classic start to a skydiver's story about such things.  

Take the discussion above this about the appropriateness of such stickers to heart but: if your buddy is game for a reminder, either 'NSTIWTIWGD' or 'No Shit There I Was....' are good options.

[dr1zzle 2]

To all whom replied to this post I am super grateful you took your time to read and respond to my inquiry, no matter how you feel about it. I appreciate your input either way. For everyone whom is curious and I know you guys and girls are, I will tell a bit more about what happened in this incident. Also, before I tell the story I want to note that he is super grateful to be alive and told me he has a new excitement for life every day he wakes up after the incident. He also grabbed a rental chute right after the incident and when and jumped again because he said he didn't know if he would ever jump again if he didn't. And lastly, I have jumped with him again since the incident and he is praised for fighting to the very end and not giving up and saving his own life. What happened was a group jump breakout at 5.5, deploy at 4 all was normal up until his main didn't come out which was determined to be a pin lock. I'm not sure if he cutaway but not sure if it would have mattered in the situation since his main wasn't out. Im pretty sure the correct move would be a cutaway though. Anyways, he deployed his reserve which he said took a good amount of time to come out and when it finally exited his container his main pilot chute bow tied his reserve is how he explained it. So im assuming the pilot chute wrapped around the middle of his reserve and was stuck of some part of it. He was in a hard spin at this point with multiple line twists and adding more because of his hard spin. He fought it to the last second and was able to grab his bridal and get the pilot chute out of his reserve enough for it to open somewhat but still had 5 or more line twists and this was at 50 ft once it finally somewhat pressurized. On landing he grabbed his risers as high as he could and did a pull up to try and flare as best he could and ended up walking away with no injury. 

[dr1zzle 2]

On 11/25/2024 at 9:18 PM, David Wang said:

Have you asked your friend how he feels about what happened? Everyone handles this kind of thing in their own way.

I have asked him and he is in the best spirits he could be. Happy to be alive everyday and stoked to still be skydiving. Ive since jumped with him.