TUCSON -- Dana Bowman -- Press Clips

[quade 4]

PHOTOS of Dana doing a flag jump during a demo are included in the on-line article.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/local/1_28_03skydiver.html

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Amputee/skydiver drops in
Ex-Army member Dana Bowman tells kids they can succeed

Former U.S. Army Golden Knights member Dana Bowman glides in for a landing yesterday at the Sunnyside High School football field. Bowman, who lost both legs in a skydiving accident, wowed students with his skill and bravery.
Photos by XAVIER GALLEGOS/Tucson Citizen

GABRIELA RICO
Tucson Citizen
Jan. 28, 2003
Fifteen-year-old Jose Gamez has been in the United States for three years. He lost his right arm in a well accident in his hometown of Naco, Son., when he was 12.
His English is not very good, and he doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up.
But yesterday, Gamez was full of anticipation as he awaited the arrival of Dana Bowman, a double-amputee and inspirational speaker. Bowman's arrival was by way of parachute to the football field at Sunnyside High School, where Gamez attends classes.
"I really want to see him. I think it's neat," Gamez said in Spanish. "To throw yourself from an airplane must take talent, right?"
Talent indeed, but mostly determination, said Bowman, 40, who travels around the country with his message of "It's not the disability, it's the ability."
Thousands of students from Sunnyside Unified School District gathered on bleachers to await Bowman's arrival.

A retired member of the Army's elite parachute team, the Golden Knights, Bowman lost both legs in a midair skydiving collision near Yuma in 1994.
A nine-month journey to recovery led to his reinstatement in the Army. He became the first amputee to skydive with the Golden Knights.
Retired since 1996, Bowman splits time among motivational speaking engagements, skydiving demonstrations and work with the Dana Bowman Limb Bank Foundation. The group is a nonprofit based in Weatherford, Texas, that helps people in underdeveloped nations and in the United States when traditional funding is not available.
"I bring an important message of hope," Bowman said after he landed. "It's all about drive," he said of the message he tries to impart to young people. "Maybe I can be their Robocop for the day."
Anai Valenzuela, 11, a sixth-grader at Sierra Middle School, said she couldn't believe her ears when the teacher told her class what the young people were going to watch.
"I was all surprised because he has no legs," she said. "I didn't know you could do that."

Dana Bowman stands on prosthetics as he speaks to young people yesterday at Sunnyside High School.

Classmate Tevin Howell, 12, was equally surprised. "I think he's a fool because why would somebody jump out of a plane with no legs?" He conceded afterward that it was "cool."
"He wanted to do it bad, and nothing was going to stop him," said Luis Mendivil, 12, a Sierra Middle School seventh-grader.
Alfredo Valenzuela, 16, a Sunnyside High student, was equally inspired.
"It's neat," Valenzuela said in Spanish. "He's not well, and still he is following his dream."
Bowman will be in Tucson all week, making presentations at schools. His talks are sponsored by Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics.

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The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[airtwardo 7]

I've met Dana a few times..a real inspiration!

This is a card he sent to my son...when ever I think things are tough, I go to his room and look at this...

Dana is one of those guys that grabbed all the lemons life has---and is swimming in lemonade!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[LouDiamond 1]

Glad to see Dana is still doing good things out there. The stories I could tell you about Dana before he lost his legs and the ones I'm sure are still being told would take a whole night and several cases of beer. Dana was a wilddman back in the day.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[ltdiver 3]

Just recieved an invitation to attend a prosthetics workshop the end of February. Dana will be a guest speaker during the event. Think we'll have things to talk about! Perhaps bring along my Pieces of 8 video as well...

ltdiver

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

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

Dana and I used to work in the same unit. When he lost his legs, went to Walter Reed, then came back to recover. Shortly later, I was with him the very first time he walked into a crowded bar without the aid of any crutches, cane etc. It was Hugmuggers in Fayetteville and he drove us there in his F-350 truck. It was pretty funny seeing the looks on peoples faces. You absolutely could not tell that he didn't have any legs until he hiked up his Levis. Talk about stories, I have some crazy stories about some of the shit we used to get into.

Chuck

[LouDiamond 1]

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Dana and I used to work in the same unit. When he lost his legs, went to Walter Reed, then came back to recover. Shortly later, I was with him the very first time he walked into a crowded bar without the aid of any crutches, cane etc. It was Hugmuggers in Fayetteville and he drove us there in his F-350 truck. It was pretty funny seeing the looks on peoples faces. You absolutely could not tell that he didn't have any legs until he hiked up his Levis. Talk about stories, I have some crazy stories about some of the shit we used to get into.

Chuck

I think I remember that night, did you guys end up at the Stadium sports bar that night too? I remember seeing him there with cowboy boots on. he told me about all his different legs for different events. Your right, you couldn't tell with the boots and levis on.

Do you know the 203 story Chuck?

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[gemini 0]

Just happened to catch the collision video the other night. Glad to hear he is still doing well and jumping. Takes a lot of courage to accomplish what he has.

Blue skies,

Jim

[Newbie 0]

this guy sounds like an inspiration all right. Just out of curiousity, what happened in the accident that caused him to lose both legs? I was just wondering how an accident like that can occur as the result of a mid air collision (unless it was a collision with some sort of aircraft?)

Thanks

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[quade 4]

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I was just wondering how an accident like that can occur as the result of a mid air collision (unless it was a collision with some sort of aircraft?)

Story and photos of the mid-air collision HERE.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[freakflyer9999 1]

I've met Dana a couple of times. Once at Quincy 97 while standing in line for breakfast I noticed the guy in front of me was wearing a skydiver wristband and two artificial legs.

A few months ago I met Dana at a demo he did for a local school. Dana didn't have a ground crew that day so he asked me to help catch the flag and keep the crowd back from the small landing area.

He told me then that he has made over 500 jumps since losing his legs. He certainly doesn't let the missing liimbs slow him down.

Dana is also a helicopter pilot and continues to fly as well.

I've also seen him a few time in the local Walmart, since he lives about 10 miles down the road.

Anyway he is certainly one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. He travels the country giving inspirational speechs as well as being a spokesperson for the prosthetics company that provides his artificial legs. If I remember correctly he told me that one of his legs actually cost over $40,000. Of course the prosthetics company prefers that he not use that particular one when skydiving.

KG

[Kinaa 0]

And video of actuall colision and story about him here.

[only_at_120 0]

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And video of actuall colision and story about him here.

The link didn't work for me, but Dana was here in Waco a couple of months ago. I was asked to work that day. I would have said no, but they told me about Mr. Bowman and so I was fortunate enough to be able to hear him speak and see the video. Not many things make me cringe, but man that was so bad. He is an inspiration to so man people.

[slotperfect 7]

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Just out of curiousity, what happened in the accident that caused him to lose both legs?

1994 GK Diamond Track Collision

Arrive Safely

John

[Kinaa 0]

Link is from old skydivingmovies.com so it won't work any more. But you can easily find movie there.

[mouth 0]

I was luck enough to get a chance to drink a few beer with Dana when he was here in Dublin about a year ago. What a great guy. Talked about all that has happened and how he dealt with it. I had to ask about why he put a lime in his Heinekin to which he answered he lost sense of taste from the accident. Did that even slow him down? Not hardly. He kept up with me and we had a great evening.

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.

[pilotdave 0]

Updated video link.

Dave