Timothy Ackerman

After low clouds shut down local skydiving he left the dropzone mentioning going home to hang with his son and daughter. He later text a friend who had been at the dz that he was going to jump from the hotel across from Moe’s a bar his friend was a manager at. (Where they had been drinking this evening)

She would later text and call several times around 2/3am sending a screen shot of his text and stating she had not heard back and was not responding to calls. A video was sent by a local jumper and restaurant owner asking if anyone could identify if it was one of our jumpers.

He is the last person I gave a hug and high five to as I left the dz due to weather, and I recognized the outfit and canopy from the video right away.

Services were held at the local dz, with full military send off for his services in the US Navy. With an ash dive by various members, to include a tandem ash dive, with his ex-wife who carried him up and pulled the pouch.

Timothy’s parents still come out to visit the dz, even years later. His father’s goal is to jump tandem one day. He stated at the services that the video taken while preparing for the jump showed him happy and excited. Which was his nature. He hopes people remember him fondly.

Timothy may have spoken to several local jumpers who participate in BASE, and didn’t have the knowledge to understand that a semi breezy spring evening, at the beach, vs 14 story building, vs a freshly downsized 150sq ft skydiving canopy, paired with drinking, and a rock filled ditch below the hotel would make for a terrible combination.

When you’re speaking with the most excitable person about BASE, please be a good mentor, and mention the serious differences in gear and their usage.

https://www.wjhg.com/.../one-man-killed-after-jumping.../...