Fifty amputees floated through the sky over Houston, Texas, during Limbs of Love’s second annual Airborne Amputee Skydive on March 29. The jumpers included 16 Wounded Warriors from House of the Intrepid and Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. According to Limbs of Love, the jumpers came together to serve as “a symbol of hope for amputees across the world” and landed to the cheering of an audience of more than 500 people.
The Airborne Amputee Skydive event began on Saturday, March 28, when the amputee veterans were escorted to the Skydive Spaceland skydive site in Rosharon, Texas, by the Brazoria County Cavalry motorcade. Dana Bowman, a former member of the United States Army Parachute Team who lost both legs due to a midair collision in 1994, spoke about recovery from amputation and achieving a full and satisfying life. The Lighthouse Cooking Team, a charity cooking team, provided a barbecue lunch, which was free to veterans. Proceeds from the lunch were donated directly to Limbs of Love.
High winds prevented jumpers from skydiving as scheduled on March 28, but good weather brought both the audience and the jumpers back to the field on the morning of March 29. The audience enjoyed a group breakfast while the jump went off successfully.