Like an older brother, Jim was the only one who ever convinced me into jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. Needless to say, my attempts at arching my back as instructed lead to heals over head flips while departing static-lines…a recipe for disaster…two attempts resulted in the same, which scraped the third…never again would I attempt a jump.
It’s been longer than I can remember since I last saw Jim, at least a couple decades, gee how time can fly without the static of lines.
Memories of Jim are of an over-zealous lad seeking the thrills of adventure having no fear of riding upon the edge of life, which obviously continues within Jim’s passion for skydiving today, while others contend he’s still just a lucky fool.
Our fathers were mutual friends both former military with a common passion for firearms additionally, Art also worked with my father’s mother…pretty typical for a small Midwest community where many knew each other.
Like it was yesterday, I remember Art stopping by to share a few jokes and stories, he was really proud of his only son…this big ole teary-eyed, crew-cut bulldog of a man had a smile which beamed like a firefly on a hot August night, chuckling between stories boosting about this crazy bird called Jim.
I am grateful for having the opportunity to have met the Twardowskis’ and unfortunately share the same emotions as Jim does today…as my father has recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer which is expected to take his life sooner rather than later, which is probably a blessing.
Although, my father never seen the horrors of active duty to leave behind a trail of memories upon foreign soil to be retraced, many of us share as well as cherish the same bonding and memories “bridged” between our fathers’ as Jim.
Thank you for sharing your heart-felt experience with us Jim, please accept my sincerest condolences while passing my sympathies on to Sue and Rosemary…we all loved that big ole teary-eyed, crew-cut bulldog of a “kid” you knew as dad.
