After 20 years of wondering, paraplegic man finally lives childhood dream of skydiving

After 20 years of wondering, paraplegic man finally lives childhood dream of skydiving

A man that become a paraplegic over 20 years ago, always had a dream to go skydiving. And if there’s one thing we love here at Majically, it’s people chasing their dreams no mater what they’re up against. And this man kept his drive, hope and passion alive to finally live his childhood dream.

Ben Daley was unfortunately hit by a motorbike when he was 18, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down and unable to speak.

He did not think he would be able to go skydiving after his accident, but the 35-year-old from Tolga on the Atherton Tablelands resolved to give it a shot this year.

Mr Daley booked a tandem jump with Skydive Cairns last month and was on the tarmac ready to go when his first attempt was thwarted by high winds.

He returned for a second try this week and successfully jumped out of a plane from 15,000 feet, although he was hit with nausea after his parachute opened.

“I felt awesome until I spewed,” he told the ABC with the help of a computer which speaks the words he types.

But he said he was thrilled to have ticked the feat off his bucket list.

“I think it will be great if others are inspired to follow their dreams,” he said.

Safety first

Janette Clement-Motzo from Skydive Cairns said the company could cater for customers who were unable to use their legs.

“[The chief instructor] has a special harness and is able to take paraplegics,” she said.

“We’ve taken some people before — we try not to exclude anyone in skydiving but obviously safety comes first so we put a lot of planning into it.”

One of Mr Daley’s support workers, Kat Gyetvay, from Disability Matters Atherton, was there to see him land.

“I don’t know who was more excited, me or Ben,” she said.

“I think I was screaming the whole time I could see the parachute coming down.”

‘Mr Adventurous’

Ms Gyetvay said Mr Daley’s parents were initially horrified by their son’s decision to go skydiving but he had full capacity and got them “used to the idea”.

“Understandably they were very, very concerned,” she said.

“His family did go through the fear and stress and anxiety of not knowing if Ben was going to survive his initial accident.

“So when it comes to our Mr Adventurous here wanting to go out and experience all of these things, there is a lot of fear for his safety.”

She said she had also taken Mr Daley go-karting in the past and was inspired by wicked sense of humour and zest for life.

“He’s living his life,” she said.

“For us at Disabilty Matters, our entire family of clients and support workers, we are so proud Ben has pushed through the concerns and fears and managed to achieve this dream.

“It goes to show that anything is possible when we put our mind to it and when we put our heart to it we can overcome so much.”

Source ABC


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