It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Mr. Bell!
By Trevor Robb
EDMONTON — Last week, the West Edmonton Local caught up with Crestwood School first grade teacher, Brennan Bell, who told the story behind his ‘skydive for Africa’ jump. On Monday, we caught up up with Bell to find out how the jump went.
After two rescheduled jumps due to nasty weather conditions, Bell finally jumped out of a plane on Sunday morning. Here’s what he had to say:
- Brennan Bell, yellow, a first grade teacher at Crestwood Junior High and Elementary jumped out of a plane on Sunday, June 26, 2011, in an effort to help build a new library in Uganda. Photograph Supplied.
West Edmonton Local: Describe the skydive, the moments in the plane before you jumped, while you were in the air and then finally when your feet touched ground.
Mr. Bell: The initial preparation (getting dressed, last minute instructions) was fine. Walking to the plane, getting in and taking off was exciting. Once that door opened at over 10000 feet, I started to get a little nervous. When we were at the door and ready to jump, I was still pretty pumped. As soon as we fell out of the plane and I realized there was no floor beneath my feet and I couldn’t see the ground, I was asking myself ‘WHY?’
As soon as I was able to regain some sense of where I was, the freefall was amazing. The wind was so noisy you couldn’t hear a thing. Eyes watered because of the cold air rushing into my face. Felt like we were falling forever.
When the parachute was deployed, it became silent. Everything was peaceful and we floated. It didn’t feel like we were falling anymore. I was even in control of the chute for awhile.
We went through the landing procedure again in the air but it was a different story when we reached the ground. Winds played a fickle part in our landing and it was my rear end and not my feet that touched the ground. Kudos to my partner Steve for getting me down safely.
West Edmonton Local: Would you ever go skydiving again?
Mr. Bell: Would I go skydiving again? If it was for a good cause and the students in my school supported me, definitely. If it was just me doing it for fun, no thanks. Did it once and can cross it off my bucket list.
West Edmonton Local: In regards to the rescheduling, was it indeed because of weather? That’s got to be a bit frustrating…
Mr Bell: Thursday night the clouds were too low and they weren’t moving. I could have stayed and eventually jumped but it was getting late for this old man. Saturday the same. They weren’t able to get to maximum height so they told me it wouldn’t be as fun. Sunday was beautiful except for the slight wind. It was frustrating in the fact that both times people showed up to watch and nothing happened.