A Remarkable Woman

This week I was telling my boss/friend about this cool thing my mother did 5 years ago.  I asked my daddy to send me some pictures of this epic adventure.  What he sent was a photo essay.  I share it with you below.

Before I begin, however, let me just tell you that bungi jumping is not even NEAR the top of the list of things that make my mother exceptional, remarkable, extraordinary, and magnificent.  You should all get to know my mom.  You would be better for it.

Bungi Africa sponsored this wonderful leap into the gorge below the bridge.  The Zambezi River runs below.  She showed no fear, just a whole bunch of excitement to do it. 04.25.06

The first three seconds were surreal, beautiful, slow motion and stunning!

She dropped 379 feet! The first big pop back up was incredible to see because after she hit the bottom the bungee cord took her back under the bridge to where we couldn’t see her, and then she came shooting out and up from under the span. Quite a sight to behold!

The second big bounce she came up squealing and looking up at us…

She was not the least bit worried or scared. She thought the rush of such a jump would be one of the coolest things ever, and sure enough it was – for her. We had about 30 on-lookers who cheered and cheered and a small Zimbabwe newspaper interviewed her after asking why a woman her age would do such a thing; normally reserved for younger people.

She said she thought it looked fun and then said, “And if my sons were here they would have gone with me, too!” Everyone had a good chuckle over that. We said later that if it were to be am adult family affair we thought perhaps Laurie, Maki, Kimberly and I would be the photographers while the rest would be jumpers. It’s a big jump into a deep gorge carved out by those mighty falls – one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Her last words before jumping -- was a glance at the videographer and then she muttered -- “Sorry, Mom!” (…believing her mother probably would not approve of such a jump)

 

That's right!  That's MY beautiful mom!

To a person, in our group – who had by then become family – they all hugged her and kissed her and told her how proud they were of her. Pierre Fourie, who had traveled with us the whole time as a guide, shook her hand, patted her on the back and said, “All I can say is you are one remarkable woman.” He needs to tell me something I don’t already know. She is a woman who just makes me thank heaven I was allowed to hook my star to hers. And she loved the whole thing from start to end…

This is the man who winched down about a hundred feet, got her upright, and then rode up with her. His first words were a sincere “Are you all right, Ma’am?”

She assured him that she was.