Skydiver who died that fell through the windshield of a burning car in about 2000

[FloatingAnvil 1]

Anyone recall the fairly famous skydiver that fell through the windshield of a car that they had set on fire in about 2000? I think it happened in Florida. Apparently they were taking turns running from hood to trunk and he fell in. It was a horrific death. I recall he was well known and his funeral was attended by many. I cannot recall his name or details, please post if you recall this. Thanks! 

Edited December 9, 2024 by FloatingAnvil

[wmw999 2,439]

That was Paul Rafferty, and it was 2004, and from what I remember, it was absolutely horrific. Do a search here for more if you want. Note that this website is going away at the end of the year, so do it soon

Wendy P. 

[FloatingAnvil 1]

Thanks for the info. I recalled his name when I read your post. I spent many, many nights at the DZ on drunk skydiver campfire duty to keep people from doing such things like jumping through the fire....or passing out in it. 

[sfzombie13 324]

there must be something with drunks and running through fires.  i recall one time years ago when i had a walking cast on my leg, we threw a tire in the fire to help it along one night out in the woods drinking.  about an hour later when the fire was going pretty good we all took turns jumping through it for some reason, well they all did anyway.  i looked at it and thought, "i can do that, it's not that far across", and that was true.  it wasn't that far, but i had forgotten about the rim on the tire we threw in.  i hit it with my cast and just fell, sat down in the fire.  when i put my hands down to get up, it burned like hell on the metal rim i was sitting on.  had it not been for the wife of one of my friends (who were laughing their arses off at me) pulling me out, it could have been very bad instead of just painful.

[normiss 798]

3 hours ago, sfzombie13 said:

there must be something with drunks and running through fires.  i recall one time years ago when i had a walking cast on my leg, we threw a tire in the fire to help it along one night out in the woods drinking.  about an hour later when the fire was going pretty good we all took turns jumping through it for some reason, well they all did anyway.  i looked at it and thought, "i can do that, it's not that far across", and that was true.  it wasn't that far, but i had forgotten about the rim on the tire we threw in.  i hit it with my cast and just fell, sat down in the fire.  when i put my hands down to get up, it burned like hell on the metal rim i was sitting on.  had it not been for the wife of one of my friends (who were laughing their arses off at me) pulling me out, it could have been very bad instead of just painful.

Better than passing out and "friends" putting you on a float in the swoop pond. So you can roll off and drown.

[riggerrob 643]

Paul Rafferty had recently retired from the Golden Knights. He led the team to great heights and many medals at World Meets. He visited us at Pitt Meadows a year or two before his death. A humble and generous leader.

One rumor had it that after his retirement, he contracted with D.O.D. to deliver tandem bundles to SF guys laying high in the mountains of Afghanistan. Then he would run for two or three days back to base.