ChasingBlueSky 0 #1 June 10, 2004 This is the skydive that Team Funnel help setup with Make A Wish. It was supposed to happen over Memorial Day weekend duing our fundraiser, but mother nature had a few things to say about that. http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-wish08.html Taking a memorial plunge June 8, 2004 BY LUCIO GUERRERO Staff Reporter When he was 12 years old, Kathy Bailey's seriously ill son Alex had a wish: to go skydiving. The Make-a-Wish Foundation made it happen, and Alex Dewey became -- at that time -- one of the youngest sky divers in the United States. It was a dream come true. "He never stopped talking about that day," Bailey recalls. Even as Alex's health deteriorated and he needed a scooter to get around, he would put on the video of his jump and watch it over and over again. At the time of his jump, to buoy his spirits, his mom told him that for his 18th birthday she'd jump with him. Unfortunately, Alex died two years later, long before Bailey could make good on her offer. But on Monday, to mark the day her son would have turned 18, Bailey put aside her fear of heights and parachuted from a plane. "I know wherever he was today, he was there watching me," said Bailey, of Wilmette, now a board member of the Make-A-Wish foundation. "I know he would have thought that was pretty cool." Diagnosed with a brain tumor when he was in the sixth grade, Alex knew immediately what he wanted when approached by Make-A-Wish. His goal was to fly -- over Disney World, no less. Because of strict FAA guidelines, that was proving to be almost impossible. He was too young (U.S. skydiving laws state a parachutists needs to be 18) and there are rules against flying over the Magic Kingdom. After some negotiating, the FAA relented and in 1998 allowed Alex to skydive near Disney World. "It was like taking a leap of faith for him," said his dad, Dave Dewey. "He had that same faith in his doctors during his illness." Looking back after her jump, Bailey wondered what Alex must have been thinking on the trip up to 13,000 feet. "For me, it was pretty nerve-wracking," she said. "I kept thinking, 'How did a 12-year-old do this?' " But when the doors opened and Bailey tumbled out of the plane -- on a tandem jump at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, which organizes a yearly Make-A-Wish fund-raiser -- she knew everything would be all right. "We know that Alex is going to be with her," said Dewey, who was waiting for Bailey on the ground during the memorial jump with their daughter Kristen, 14. "I had no doubt about that." As she floated down from the airplane, Bailey was all smiles. And after landing safely, she hugged her family. After a champagne toast, they planned to drive the two hours north back to Wilmette, where Bailey had baked a cake. "It was a bittersweet moment," she said. "But what a great birthday present for Alex." Copyright © The Sun-Times Company_________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #2 June 10, 2004 What a great story...thank you for posting it. B2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #3 June 10, 2004 Thank you also to Rook and Missy Nelson and the rest of Skydive Chicago for donating this jump and video to Make A Wish._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #4 June 10, 2004 nice. that's really cool. sounds like a really good fundraisser too. great for the sport, and great for those that benefit from make a wish. great job guys! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JoeyRamone 0 #5 June 10, 2004 Good vibes from the SDC crew,....Great job Brian, you had a big hand in making all of that possible.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites hooked 0 #6 June 10, 2004 Thank you for posting this story. It was a real 'heart warmer'. I am so glad this young boy got his wish and his Mother remembered what she had said and did the skydive on his Birthday. J -------------------------------------- Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ChasingBlueSky 0 #7 June 10, 2004 QuoteGood vibes from the SDC crew,....Great job Brian, you had a big hand in making all of that possible.... I had a small part in this part of the TF weekend. Honestly, the most work was done by Tequilla Bill and Tish McMahon along with all the wonderful people at Make A Wish._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites rehmwa 2 #8 June 10, 2004 "and when the doors opened and Bailey tumbled" Ahh the press, they really just don't get it, do they? Still a decent story. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
JoeyRamone 0 #5 June 10, 2004 Good vibes from the SDC crew,....Great job Brian, you had a big hand in making all of that possible.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hooked 0 #6 June 10, 2004 Thank you for posting this story. It was a real 'heart warmer'. I am so glad this young boy got his wish and his Mother remembered what she had said and did the skydive on his Birthday. J -------------------------------------- Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #7 June 10, 2004 QuoteGood vibes from the SDC crew,....Great job Brian, you had a big hand in making all of that possible.... I had a small part in this part of the TF weekend. Honestly, the most work was done by Tequilla Bill and Tish McMahon along with all the wonderful people at Make A Wish._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #8 June 10, 2004 "and when the doors opened and Bailey tumbled" Ahh the press, they really just don't get it, do they? Still a decent story. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
