“Please meet Jennifer & Steve Helffrich…

Jennifer & Steve Helffrich

Jennifer, Steve & Friends

Steve as Tandem Master

On Saturday, April 10, 2010, during a normal skydive, Steve experienced a double malfunction (failure of both the main and reserve parachutes to fully deploy and/or inflate) and was flown via Life Flight to the only trauma center within 150 miles, Regional Medical Center (also known as ‘The Med’) in Memphis, Tennessee.

Steve sustained multiple life threatening injuries including damage to his aorta (the most serious of his injuries), punctured/deflated left lung, dislocated/broken right hip, and broken ribs on the right side (#5 thru #9).

Since being admitted into the trauma ICU, Steve has undergone several surgeries including vascular surgery to repair his aorta, the insertion of 6 chest tubes total, as well as surgery last week to remove excess fluid and infection surrounding his left lung.

Known by many as the “Mom and Dad” of the drop zone, Jen & Steve are always doing kind things for others while expecting nothing in return.  Most of us that skydive with them spend every weekend sharing our passion for the sport and the amazing friendships that have been established.  To a majority of us, they are our extended family.  Jen & Steve are both amazing skydivers, coaches, and most of all, friends – sharing this zest for life with anyone and everyone that will listen to them speak about the sport.

In this time of need, those of us that are friends, family, acquaintances, and those that will never “jump out of a perfectly good airplane,” have the opportunity to show them our support – whether it be through well wishes, cards, private prayer/church prayer lists, and/or donations.

Thankfully, Jen & Steve have insurance but with an accident of this severity, there are numerous additional incurred bills/daily hardships.  In order to show support, the Helffrich Benefit Fund has been established through First Tennessee Bank.

There are 3 options of how you can donate to this Fund:

#1:        Visit ANY First Tennessee Bank branch with the following account information:
Helffrich Benefit Fund (Account #182355531)
** NOTE: To find the closest First Tennessee Bank location to you, CLICK HERE **

#2:        Visit https://public.serviceu.com/payment/default.asp?OrgID=12725&PaymentID=7920

Enter contact information & banking information
(Check #/Checking Account Number/Routing Number)

** NOTE: This payment option is through David P. Smith’s Company, ServiceU Corporation, whose business is processing secure online transactions. **

#3:        If you are unable to visit a First Tennessee Bank location, do not have a branch in your area and/or do not wish to donate online, a check made out to Helffrich Benefit Fund can be sent to:

David P. Smith
1154 Talamore Cove
Collierville, TN  38017

Should you wish to send a card to Jen & Steve, please address them to:

David P. Smith
Attn:  Helffrich Family
1154 Talamore Cove
Collierville, TN  38017″

Current Update: He finally made it home last week. As it turned out he was really, really lucky!! It was really touch and go for a while there. He is now up and able to move around to a degree with a walker. And is very positive about life!!

But the running tally was 3 surgeries, 9 chest tubes (at different times), 31 days in ICU, 1 night in a regular room, 2 nights in Trauma Step Down ICU, countless x-rays and CT’s, a stent in the aorta, a trach, several broken bones all healing and about 35 lbs dropped. Plus 2 weeks in an rehab center.

The family could still use the financial help until he is able to get back up and to work. Any help would be great!!

He actually was able to get up and made it out to the DZ last weekend (didn’t jump naturally, but his wife got in a couple). The incident didn’t scare him away from the sport in the least. I think that he will be more involved now than ever. In training, coaching and teaching safety!! I can’t wait until he is able to be back in the air with us…

Peter’s family would like his ashes to return to Hungary, so there are a few fundraisers to help make that happen. Tanya Hannington is organizing an auction at the Ranch in New York. Prizes – so far – include 2 Blue Skies Mag subscriptions, Sun Path gear bags, reserve pack jobs, framed photographs, coach jumps and tons more. Donate something if you can and get to the Ranch to bid on some cool stuff.

Here are some photos that Peter G sent us and my slacker ass never got around to doing anything with.

The story he sent was,

“On September 6th during the infamous Skydive New England Tiki Bar Boogie freeflyers set an official Maine state Head Down record. The jump was part of 3 day freefly bender. With Travis Fienhage and Andy Malchiodi from SoCal Converge on hand organizing head up, head down, angle flying, and spaceball jumps it was only natural to throw a record in there. After determining that there was no official record it was decided to put together an 8-way round that would launch right out the door slot perfect. Local New England flyers Adam Laware, Chris McNaughton, Mark Rouillard, PJ Jackson and Dave Swanson combined with Dave Colucci, and the SoCal guys to put a record in the books on the first attempt. To ensure all went as planned Peter G. was on hand to get the perfect shot.”

Sorry, guys, to take so long to get that up. BSBD, Peter G.

Mirage Systems is donating a complete container (a $2,800 value!) to be auctioned off. Bidding closes March 31 and proceeds will benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. If you win the auction, you get a 100% free Mirage Systems complete container with 100% options, all for free! Mirage Systems has committed to manufacturing the container within 8 weeks, so you’ll have it in time to jump at the Perfect Jumps event on June 16! Bids should be submitted to kevin@stepstonegroup.com.

In addition, Performance Designs has donated a canopy (excluding cross-braced models) to be raffled off. Kevin is selling 100 $100 “chance tickets.” Contact Kevin, Nick Grillet at PD or possibly someone in your area for one of these coveted tickets.

Good luck Kevin, and the future winners of that rig and canopy!

Mum! Topless! Haiti! Skydive!

We first learned of Kat Mager’s charity skydive from this headline bait: Mum’s Topless Haiti Skydive! I was very scared to open the link, fearing…well, the worst. But, Kat is super hot and, as it turns out, super sweet. She is trying to raise £2,000 (~ $3,000) for Haiti relief, and if she does, she will indeed skydive topless.

We think it behooves all of our subscribers to support this worthy cause. Donate here and now! And be sure to kick in a little extra so she can afford to hire a videographer. (UK Skydiving videographer, you might find a publication willing to print those photos. We just can’t think of which one that would be )

From PR Newswire:

Skydiving centers across the country have found an unusual way to contribute to the Haiti relief effort – by using skydiving aircraft to transport food and medical supplies to the island.

“Jump aircraft are especially well-suited for these missions,” said Ed Scott, executive director of the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA). “Most have large cargo doors and are easily converted to carry cargo. Most can also take off and land on short and sometimes rough landing strips.”

Shortly after the earthquake, USPA e-mailed its affiliated skydiving centers that relief organizations and the U.S. government needed aircraft to bring supplies and personnel from around the U.S. to Florida for staging, as well as directly to Haiti.

The PayPal info again is:
LT197044060003600396
Inga Gaizauskiene
AB SEB bankas
Gedimino pr. 12, LT- 01103 Vilnius
Banko Kodas 70440
SWIFT Kodas CBVILT2X
email account info: gaizauskiene.inga@hotmail.com

Photo courtesy of Skydive Midwest

Giedrius “G” Kasiulynas was injured during a training jump at the World Cup in South Africa and is currently in critical condition. Although he is on staff at Skydive Midwest in Wisconsin, his family is in Lithuania, where he is originally from. They need to get to South Africa to make medical decisions about G’s life, so an account has been set up to help them make the trip.

Julie from Skydive Midwest sent us this information this morning:

The info for his sister; Inga’s PayPal account, for donations: gaizauskiene.inga@gmail.com

LT197044060003600396

Her other info:

Inga Gaizauskiene
AB SEB bankas
Gedimino pr. 12, LT-01103 Vilnius
SWIFT Kodos CBVILZX