Posted on 09/20/2006 5:41:49 AM PDT by rightgrafix
PALMETTO, Florida (AP) -- Mark Giorgio figured a 50-foot plunge was worth $20. Giorgio, 47, was counting his money and walking across the U.S. 41 bridge over the Manatee River Monday when a $20 bill blew out of his hand and flew over the rail. He followed. And plummeted 50 feet into the river. Then he swam about 100 yards to fish the bill from the water. "I got my money back, hell yeah," Giorgio told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. "Twenty bucks is a lot of money when you're broke." He was fished from the water by a passing Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer. Giorgio, who said he was already suffering from a broken collarbone, refused treatment for cuts and scrapes he suffered in the fall.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Honorable Mention. But he got the money back.
50' is a piece of cake. I jumped 80' one time, broke my tail bone, a minor injury which caused discomfort for a week or so. I was attempting to determine the optimum altitude from which to cut away a parachute and fall into water with maximum crowd appeal and minimum pain. I settled on 50'. The jump was part of a halftime show at a concert at a waterfront resort. It all came off well, but next time I need to check the depth of the water more carefully.
I'm 36 and did 50' off a rope swing about a month ago. Three times was all I could take. 20 years ago I could have spent a day doing it. Oddly, the climb back up was tougher on me than the drop. ;>)
I've done 75' off a railroad tressle. My buddies were diving from the top which was 95'. 50' is no big deal.
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
Sounds like a tagline.
Dude, I thought I was insane.
You win.
"There's no such thing as gravity, the earth sucks."
Aw shucks...(kicking at dirt while blushing)
Same, same here. As kids in Boston, "Townies" used to swim at the "Low Bridge" that connects the North End to Charlestown. We'd swim over to the Northeast Artery Bridge adjacent to the old Boston Gardens, climb the steel girders (and we were wet!), and jump approx 100 feet into the Charles River. All the kids did it... of course, we had to take turns keeping an eye on "Sully", our less skillful swimmer!
Good friend of mine, a CMSGT para rescue guy, told about one of his buddies that drove a desk. He had to qualify HALO, and had avoided it for a couple years (back pain, whatever).
So he has to do the jump. My buddy was there, along with a lot of other Para guys. THey wore fins on thier feet, and tanks on their backs, and jumped from way up high.
Total darkness. No moon. You are supposed to watch your altimiter after deploying your parachute, and cut away at 50 feet or less.
So he is in the water, and his desk-jockey budy is still coming down.
He hears, click, YAAAAAAHHHH!!!! SPLASH!!!!
The guy had freaked, and cut away at 100 feet.
The guys in the water are calling to him, and he answers. "Swim towards us!" they say.
"I can't!"
THey thought he was severely injured, and could not swim. When they got to him, they saw his fins at the top of his thighs. His feet had punched right through.
Aha! There you have it!
Bush's fault.
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