By Staff
Jonathan Willis
Raymond Hall spent 10 years working with parachutes while in the military, but he never had the chance to use one.
"I always said that if I had the chance to jump I would," Hall said. "I never got the chance and my wife wouldn't even discuss it so I never pushed it."
Last summer, however, Hall decided to finally take the plunge – literally.
He scheduled a skydiving flight in Cullman and jumped alongside his daughter-in-law, Kathy Jo Hall, and his grandson, Michael, and his wife, Lori.
Sunday, he returned for a second jump, this time with his son, Duane, and another grandson, Bryan.
"I think it's like golf or any other sport," said Hall, a retired a U.S. Air Force master sergeant.
"Once it's in your blood, you're hooked. I told them that I was the experienced jumper in the family since I have gone twice."
Though the thought of falling from a plane 14,000 feet above ground seems worrisome to many, Hall said there's nothing to it.
"I love it," said the 20-year Russellville Post office employee. "I hope to do it again next year."
Hall took part in a tandem jump, which means he was hooked with a professional diver who controlled the parachute.
"I told him that I was coming again next year unless they put me in the nursing home first," said the 74 year-old Hall with a laugh.
The jump had been cancelled three times this spring. Three of those were changed due to the weather and the fourth was canceled so Hall could see his great-granddaughter, Brooklyn, sing at church.
"You have got to be 19 to do it, but if they would let her go I would take her up with me. I wouldn't push it on anybody, but I think that if they ever did it once, they would love it."