Liam McMullan And Stephanie Wei Rule The Skies
I live everyday like I were going to die tomorrow. Liam McMullan and I went skydiving recently in Long Island. I had just gotten back from Seattle and Liam called, “I’m going skydiving in the morning. Want to come?” My response, “Sure, why not?” I’d always wanted to go skydiving and I was just waiting for the right time. It was on the way to the Hamptons, where I was going the next day, anyway. At 6 am, we took a train to Huntington and picked up Liam’s car at his grandmother’s house.
I am scared of heights. For reals. I figured that jumping out of a plane at 13,500 feet would be the perfect way to conquer my fear. As we drove up to the Long Island Skydiving Center, I felt mixed emotions - I was super excited, but at the same time, I was scared to death.
More photos and story below:
I’d watched people skydiving on TV and seeing people jump out of the plane made my stomach turn. It was too late to turn back though and I was committed to this new adventure as I filled out the forms, which basically signed away my rights and my life. My favorite part of the informational video was, “
If you attempt to sue, you will lose.”
That was fair.
I boarded the plane and we sat in rows with our instructors behind us. Of course I’d be jumping in tandem with an expert. I told him, “I’m up for anything, but please just don’t tell me what’s going to happen.” The scene on the plane reminded me of the paratroopers from one of my favorite television series Band of Brothers. As we reached our cruising altitude, my instructor enthusiastically asked, “Alright, are you ready?! How are you feeling??!!”
I felt light as a feather. I had emptied my pockets, taken off my jewelry and left all my personal effects in Liam’s car. Liam went first and I was up next. I’ll never forget standing at the door of the plane, but I can barely remember jumping. It was INTENSE. Before I knew it, I was free-falling and I never felt more FREE, especially with one of NYPD’s finest strapped onto my back (I learned my instructor was formerly part of the “Emergency Services Squad on the NYPD aka SWAT).
I can’t describe the adrenaline rush, but it was FUCKING AWESOME!!! I was FLYING. It was one of the most unreal experiences. My stomach didn’t drop like when you’re going down a roller-coaster; it was so much better. For however many seconds, I was in the sky, free like a bird, overlooking the Hamptons and Atlantic coastline. The view was absolutely beautiful.
I felt safe and closer to the ground than ever. After a perfect landing where Liam greeted me, I screamed, “LET’S GO AGAIN!!!”
Take one of these last summer weekends and take a leap of faith. It’s only minutes away from the Hamptons.
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the sad part is that though you were “free like a bird”, you wrote how you were looking at the hamptons, an noted the hamptons multipl times. you aren’t free, even at that moment, you couldn’t let go of being a slave to a superficial and empty lifestyle.