Death defying jump for MCC, Anne tells us why!

Anne Hamilton Black

"Are you mad" has been the most common reply I get when I tell them what I am doing tomorrow....so far I haven’t really seen what they have been fussed about. Some friends have done sky dives in Oz or New Zealand while travelling and not too many have done them in Ireland or for charity, so I suppose it might seem somewhat crazy to consider jumping out of a plane and hurtling towards earth at around 140mph.....hmmm did I really think this through??

 

After I injured myself just before the mini marathon last year and was unable to partake, I’ve been looking for a way to do some sort of fundraising for an Autism related cause, so when I heard the idea of a skydive, I think I may have been one of the first to say I would do it. It’s a coincidence that my niece Katelynns dog Rosie is off with My Canine Companion at the moment doing her training. Katelynn is a very important part of my life and Rosie is now a very important part of hers, so it makes scene for me to do something to help another child get the same opportunity as Katelynn.

I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to go about getting enough sponsorship together to be able to do the jump, it seemed like an awful lot at the start, and knowing how stuck people are at the moment, it seemed quite daunting to go around asking, so I was delighted when they set up the iDonate page so I didn’t have to go around collecting cash which I knew would be hard. I have really been overwhelmed by the support I’ve received from friends and family sponsoring me for the event, I think people are becoming more aware of Autism and how a little bit of help and acceptance from everyone can change an Autistic person’s life for the better.

Anne & Katelynn 

Needless to say, as I am a very accident prone person, when I told my close family and friends I was doing the jump their first reaction was NOOOOO, we will have to wrap you in bubble wrap! Considering I fell down the stairs in the cinema last year and damaged my ankle, broke my toe putting my knickers on, broke my coccyx ice skating, cracked my chin and broke my two front teeth on my hen night.....I’m not surprised my husband is looking for my life assurance policy tonight!

 

Just about to set my alarm for 6.30, enough time to wake up properly and get ready, I'll have some family and friends there as a support which will be nice, my little boy Ryan wants to come on the dive with me, not just watch!lol

 

I’m not quite nervous yet, still a little excited I think, I’ve been so busy this week that when people asked me if I was nervous I was being honest when I answered no, cos I hadn’t really had time to think about it too much,, tomorrow I'm sure will be a different story. I don’t have a fear of heights, I wonder will I develop one tomorrow? Imagine that in a few years, "Anne why are you afraid of heights? - oh someone tried to push me out of a plane once!"

 

I’m looking forward to meeting my fellow jumpers tomorrow; it will be nice to have a bit of company. I generally a bit of an adrenaline junkie, and I love doing dangerous things, but this is a bit more than dangerous....

 

"If you haven’t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble" - Bob Hope

 

Looks like I'll be jumping out of a plane tomorrow so...and its going to be Legen....wait for it.... Dary!!! Just a few hours left before we suit up ladies and of course Gents!!!

 

Read Annes after jump update tomorrow evening along with pictures.