The thought of jumping out of a plane at an altitude of 14,000 feet and plummeting to the earth at 120 mph didn’t intimidate more than 150 amputees and 17 Wounded Warriors who signed up to jump for Limbs of Love at the May 1 Airborne Amputee skydive event at Skydive Spaceland just south of Houston, Texas.
Wounded Warriors prepare for their jump. Photo courtesy of Limbs of Love.
While this was the third year Limbs of Love hosted the Airborne Amputee Skydive, the organization said that this year’s event was unlike any it had hosted before. The 130-acre airpark was transformed into a festival that included barbeque, bands, moonwalks, PT rehab games, miniature horse rides, and even an Oreo cookie dunk-off.
“The primary purpose of the event is to allow amputees to prove to themselves and to the world, once and for all, that the sky is the limit following amputation,” said Limbs of Love founder Joe Sansone.
The Wounded Warriors arrived at the venue surrounded by an almost mile-long line of escorts that included motorcyclists, law enforcement, and fire departments from around Texas, all organized by the Brazoria County Cavalry to laud the guests of honor.
The event served as a fundraiser for Limbs of Love, a charity that provides artificial limbs to amputees who cannot otherwise afford them. According to a Limbs of Love press release, two amputees will receive prostheses from Limbs of Love as a result of the event.
While the skydive delayed for a day because of overcast weather, many of the amputees who showed up to jump on Saturday, including the 17 Wounded Warriors, returned on Sunday to make their jump.
