A ‘HOT MESS’ AT CHICAGO AIR & WATER SHOW
A ‘HOT MESS’ AT CHICAGO AIR & WATER SHOW
As the old folks would say well it started out as a good thing but the annual big moment that the audience waits for annually need asa hot mess when the stunt at the Chicago Air & Water Show went wrong Saturday. Two parachutists collided mid sky, leaving one in critical condition after he slammed into a Gold Coast high-rise and plummeted to the ground. It was a scene from a movie except the incident was real.
The other parachutist was left injured on North Avenue Beach cast. The accident left a shroud of darkness and gloom on the weekend long show that annually draws tens of thousands to the lakefront for aerial acrobats that thrills the crowd along with late summer sunshine. Those who did not witness were unaware of the accident and complained the usual of the hot, humid weather, though loyal fans of the parachute teams posted to social media communicating their concern and hopes for positive news.
The parachutist who hit the apartment building is a member of the Army Golden Knights in his late 20s. He sustained multiple injuries and remained in critical condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after undergoing surgery to relieve pressure on his brain caused by a head injury, said Donna Dixon, a Golden Knights spokeswoman.
Thirteen parachutists jumped from the aircraft and formed a circle holding hands, a maneuver known as a “mass” at 10:30 a.m. The crew of thirteen parachutists included one videographer, members of the Golden Knights and the Navy Leap Frogs.
They held together for about 15 seconds before separating in different directions, a move that looks like a “bomb burst” from the ground, with red smoke spraying from the parachutists,” as described by Dixon.
Then, it appeared that a Golden Knight and a Leap Frog collided. The investigation as to why the accident happened is ongoing. The Leap Frog parachutist landed on North Avenue Beach and suffered a broken leg, while the Golden Knight drifted into a high-rise at North Lake Shore Drive and East Schiller Street.
Gold Coast residents on the ground witnessed the parachutist fall from the sky and crash onto the sidewalk.
“Those who saw him falling from the sky reported that they could hear him hit the ground noting that it was a terrible sound.
Myers said the parachutist looked limp and unconscious as he fell feet-first through the air about 20 feet, then approached and found the parachutist’s face covered in blood.
One witness said it was unnerving because he was still alive but his eyes were closed and he didn’t seem to be present to the moment.
Others saw the parachutist fall from the rooftop of a nearby building and described the parachutist fall from their perspective. Apparently his legs caught the tip of the roof, causing him to fall over,” About 20 other people from the rooftop of an adjacent building at 1400 N. Lake Shore Drive witnessed the horrible mishap.
A nurse in the vicinity attempted to steady the parachutist by holding his bleeding head stable while bystanders watched for paramedics.
The police taped off the blocked off the driveway of the building with yellow tape, forming a barrier between the building’s entrance and the dozens of questioning passers-by. Families toting their lawn chairs, coolers and baskets stopped by the scene before moving on after neighbors informed them of what happened and they continued their trek to North Avenue Beach.
The who went on true to show business but the two teams canceled their afternoon performances. The two teams perform separately but in recent years they have also jumped together numerous times without incident.
The two teams have returned year after year because they are a crowd pleaser making them a favorite the Air & Water Show fans. They wi hearts as they jump from aircraft more than 12,500 feet aboveground, hurtling at speeds over 120 mph toward a landing area on North Avenue Beach. Chicago celebrities like Bill Murray and Vince Vaughn have joined them in years past.
It comes with the territory. It’s obvious that the jumps aren’t without risk or occasional incident. They are performed in the sky so what do we expect? Last month, a member of the Golden Knights team was taken to the hospital after a landing mishap in Wisconsin. In 2013, two Golden Knights were honored after risking their lives to save one another after their parachutes became entangled during a jump in Florida.
Parachutists go through a challenging eight-week selection process, followed by a three-month rigorous training camp. Each team member performs thousands of jumps a year and only the best perform at the Chicago Air & Water Show.
It was a very hot day for many in attendance due to high temperatures and the weather’s sharp contrast to last year, which was marked by poor visibility, heavy fogs and low temperatures, and led to the delay and eventual cancellation of performances on the show’s second day.
The event wraps up with performances from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, Sunday.
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