Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Amputee Sky Divers Defy the Odds



An 8-man team of amputee Vietnam veterans get ready for their latest thrill. Each one has their parachute clasped tightly and securely on his back as they snap their goggles into place.

This incredible group of men, who served in one of the worst wars in recent memory, all lost limbs during the brutal Vietnam war. But these tough vets didn’t let one less leg or arm get in their way of pursuing a full and exciting life, leading them to form a team that supported each other in every way, and on the side, would jump out of airplanes for fun.

The only team of skydiving amputees, the team appropriately call themselves “pieces of 8.” During the war, many of these men strapped parachuted on their backs and dove into the hellfire below, and never lost that sense of calm and joy they felt when they leaped from an open plane.

Once back home, the veterans decided not to let their amputations hinder their lives and pledged to keep on skydiving. Once a year, the group gets together to skydive out in Perris, CA. These brave men show that no matter what has happened in your life, giving up is simply not an option.

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