PO Feature: Skydiving is for All Abilities

The international skydiving community is renowned for being welcoming, inclusive and innovative. The experience of human flight is liberating, empowering and, for many, it’s life-altering. Through the marvel of tandem skydiving, we’re able to accommodate most people who are keen to spread their wings and soar. We feel like it’s our responsibility to share it!

As a safety-first culture, though, there are strict regulations we must adhere to regarding weight and health restrictions, and recommendations we have to enforce for the sake of the comfort and well-being of our students and instructors. Physical limitations and differing abilities, however, don’t necessarily count you out as a candidate for tandem skydiving. If you think you can skydive, you probably can!

Case in point: Meet Philip Baker, a 71-year old Ottawa man with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who contacted our team to see if tandem skydiving was in the cards for him. After discussing his specific strengths and challenges, the answer was yes! 

This is Philip’s story.

Bucket List 

Most people wait until their waning years to lean into the notion of a bucket list. They conjure up a random theoretical list of lofty to-dos that they keep in their head. Philip got a head start and developed an actual bucket list. It’s a four-page document (currently in version 7) featuring activities he’s determined to do, as well as a chronological list of items he’s proud to have accomplished. 

Perhaps this is in keeping with Philip’s personality. Or maybe he sees it as a necessity because of the hand he’s been dealt. Philip has been living with MS for the past 30 years; he’s come to terms with it by treating the situation as a personal race against time. 

Having subsequently been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, Philip’s physical to-dos have been top of mind. On the short list: skydiving. He knew his family and friends would be skeptical of the idea, so he told them nothing about it. Instead, he conspired with his wife and our team to figure out the logistics. He saw himself in the picture, and we saw it too. 

Set a Goal, Work Hard and Achieve It

Philip has always been drawn to a challenge and adventure. He remembers before high school, watching the Tour de France, the 24-hour Le Mans grand prix, professional sports – even the moon landings – and stretching his imagination to put himself in the picture. 

Once he became a teenager, Philip took charge of his destiny. He played and excelled in numerous sports: football, hockey, lacrosse, baseball, soccer, gymnastics and golf. Being ambidextrous, he was often a team’s secret weapon. As an adult, adrenaline seeking included fastball, dragon boat racing, parasailing, bobsledding (on wheels) and, his true passion, whitewater rafting.

One of his most treasured memories is of a 2007 wilderness camping and whitewater rafting trip in British Columbia. He flew to Vancouver, took a Piper Cub to a lodge in the Rockies on Chilko Lake, and set off on a seven-day excursion down the Chilkotin River. The Chilkotin is home to some of North America’s longest, largest, continuous rapids. Imagine surviving three to five hours of jaw-dropping rapids three days in a row – talk about life-changing! One afternoon, after a full day of rafting, he hunkered down among the rocks in a peaceful tributary with the water gurgling by his ears. A few days later, he conquered a monstrous rapid known as “Big John.” Every day was transcendental in its own way.

As a Physical Education teacher and coach, Philip exemplified drive and determination. He empowered his students to put themselves in the picture; to set a goal, work hard and achieve it.

In 1978, in his very first year of teaching, he drove the school bus 60 miles north from the indigenous community of Buffalo Narrows, Saskatchewan with a group of 30 boys and girls to compete in the Northern Winter Games. Against all odds, his students – competing in five different sports – won the Games, defeating over 45 other schools from across the province.

Volleyball Team Tryouts; Buffalo Narrows, 1978

Cards on the Table

Years later, Philip knew something was amiss. His neurologist affirmed his concerns, sharing a suspicion of MS, but he couldn’t be sure. He advised Philip to get ready by educating himself and increasing his lower-body strength. In the seven years it took to get a definitive diagnosis, Philip did both, starting with biking on a tripod in the basement.

This is also in keeping with Philip’s personality. He’s always been honest with himself and faced each challenge or impediment head-on. “We get 52 cards when we’re born,” he says. “One day you’ll receive a deuce, and the next week you may be dealt a king. You have no choice but to play them as they come. You’ve got to have faith in God, yourself, and other people, and be strategic.”

He acknowledges, too, that it can be tough. He credits his wife, Ann, as well as his children, grandchildren, relatives and friends for playing a substantial role in helping him to persevere.

Preparing for Takeoff

Today, Philip can only walk more than 50 feet with the aid of ski poles or a walker. He can no longer drive. So, his choice to keep a lid on his skydiving plans was understandable. He may well have been met with resistance. 

He chose to pursue his skydiving dream with us for a few reasons. We’re the closest skydiving dropzone to the Baker home in Ottawa. But more importantly, Philip was aware of our extensive work with the military and figured, “If the people at Petawawa and Fort Drum choose to jump at Parachute Ottawa, that’s good enough for me.”

A few weeks before jump day, Philip and Ann drove to Arnprior to get acquainted with the dropzone and the plan of execution. Vic V would be his tandem instructor and, together, they would jump with equipment specifically designed for people with mobility challenges. Philip’s dear, late older brother was named Victor; it was a sign of good things to come.

DZO Jake Mason would be on the jump as well, serving as an extra set of eyes and ears and performing final gear checks ahead of the exit. Of course, they would also be accompanied by a camera flyer (Torey), who would capture it all on video.

In Expert Hands

The harness system Philip would wear during his tandem skydive was developed by Jay Stokes, an inductee of the International Skydiving Hall of Fame, the former president of the United States Parachute Association (USPA), a multi-time World Record holder, and one of the most accomplished civilian and military skydivers in the world. 

Jay’s system features a pair of pants that secure the legs of the tandem student to the instructor during the jump. It ensures instructor control during exit and freefall, and allows for a safe landing by adjusting the student’s leg position after canopy deployment. The system has been used at dropzones around the world, and on many noteworthy jumps – including the 2010 jump of Harry Shaw, a double amputee and former US Army paratrooper, and the 2023 jump of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has paraplegia.  

Philip knew that he was being equipped with first-class gear and guided by highly-trained instructors. He recognized that he was in expert hands and felt confident about, and at ease with, his upcoming jump. 

Jump Day

On August 15, 2024, Philip and Ann returned to Parachute Ottawa. The weather was ideal and the plan was rock solid; it was all systems go. The crew boarded the aircraft and headed up to altitude. 

At 12,500 feet, Vic and Philip jumped into a picture-perfect blue sky over the glittering Ottawa and Madawaska rivers, and entered into freefall at a speed of up to 120 mph. 

And then: Parachute deployment. The pair transitioned from fast and furious to peaceful and serene. “We were coasting along so smoothly,“ Philip recalled thinking, “I hope this goes on forever.” He was in awe of the 360-degree view: “I knew where we were and where we were heading. It was just so breathtaking. I could’ve done it for much longer, but I knew we had to prepare for landing.” 

Philip was reminded of his parasailing adventures. And as they manoeuvred into position and slid together across the landing area, he thought of his more recent days playing fastball in a competitive men’s league at age 55. Thanks to Vic and the harness system, the part of the jump when injury was most likely, was like hitting a triple and sliding into third base with moments to spare. 

Back on his feet, Philip got high fives, atta-boys, and praise from Vic, the videographer, his wife and people at Parachute Ottawa he didn’t even know. It felt great! He’d set a goal, worked through each step, and achieved a successful outcome. Another exhilarating moment to savour!

Spreading the News

When he returned home, Philip let key people in his life know of his most recent accomplishment by a series of emails that included his tandem skydiving video: his two children, several cousins, his University of Ottawa (UofO) buddies and the local media. Then the calls rolled in. His children and cousins thought it was a blast! The grandkids couldn’t believe it. They thought Papa Bear must have lost a bet or been tricked into it. CTV News picked up the story and arranged for a ‘live’ radio interview. His buddies wanted to hear all about it at their quarterly reunion in August.

Philip (5th from the left) at his UofO Quarterly Reunion 

Asked if he’d encourage others to skydive, Philip shared: “I would, without a doubt, recommend skydiving for anyone over 18, regardless of their ability. Don’t let anything stop you from tackling your bucket list. When doubt enters your mind, focus on the big picture and seek out the positive vibes.”

Would he skydive again? “It was such a wonderful experience. If I was 25 or 30 years younger, I might get my skydiving license!” On further reflection, Philip admitted that he probably won’t be making another tandem skydive. “I still have other items on my bucket list to check off!” 

Next on the list is a whitewater rafting run on the Ottawa River. Bet he’ll do it, too … 

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We were thrilled to partner with Philip to make his dream of skydiving a reality. We hope his experience will inspire others to seize the day! Want to learn more about skydiving? Check out our FAQs or get in touch. We’ll be there to support you every step of the way! Blue skies!