90-year-old Butler man goes skydiving
It's probably best not to dare Tom Della Santa of Butler.
A case of egging each other on led the 90-year-old retired postal employee to a skydiving excursion with his two granddaughters, his daughter and his son-in-law July 9.
“My 90th birthday was Jan. 31, and at that time, my wife (Fran) and the kids had thrown a surprise party that was very nice,” Della Santa said.
“My granddaughter, Jenny Chapla in Butler, had a birthday in July,” he said. “And this kind of came about because she had gotten a skydiving session for her birthday.”
Chapla, 44, said, “It was my birthday, and we were having a family picnic that Saturday night and I said, 'Grandma, Grandpa, I'm going skydiving tomorrow are you coming too?'”
Chapla, who got the skydiving session as a gift from her husband, Terry, said it didn't take but a moment for her grandparents to say they'd do it.
Della Santa said, “I was not going to be part of it, but I wanted to see who was willing to go.”
Fran Della Santa had to bow out for a medical condition, but the rest found themselves at Skydive Pennsylvania near the Grove City Outlet Mall the next day.
“I guess it was a challenge,” Tom Della Santa said of his foray into skydiving. “It was something I thought would be exciting. It's not something I set out do seriously, but I'm glad I did.”
Once at the private airfield, the family split up with Della Santa going on a plane with three other tandem divers.
In tandem diving, a novice is attached by harness to a more experienced skydiver who guides the whole jump from plane to landing.
“They claim we jumped at 13,500 feet,” Della Santa said. “I was kneeling near the open door, and it was jump or get pushed.”
“We were dropping through the clouds. For the first 40 to 50 seconds there was no communication through my helmet. It comes back on when you feel the chute open,” he said.
“Euphoric is the only word that comes to mind. There's complete silence. You can see how pretty the ground is, but you can't hear anything,” he said.
Speaking of skydiving, Della Santa said, “I think I would do it again, but only if I reach 95.”
A full report will appear in the Butler Eagle.
