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Conner takes a leap of faith

It was July, and Debbie Conner was about to turn a year older. Since it wasn’t a “special birthday,” she found a way to add some excitement to it.

"I have contemplated a skydiving experience for a long time,” says Conner. “I found a friend who was celebrating a birthday, too, and we organized to go together.”

Conner and her friend, Scott Bame, jumped in tandem on July 19, both for the first time. The two were accompanied by friend Rich Osman, who recorded the experience on his GoPro video camera. They jumped at Skydive Myrtle Beach at the North Myrtle Beach Airport.

“It was the scariest thing I have done,” says Conner. “The biggest challenge was leaving the plane but it was the most fun and exhilarating experience.”

Conner was 14,000 feet above the ground when she jumped. She landed where her husband was waiting for her. She even recorded a video message for students before she took the leap. “Before I jumped I told them, ‘Sometimes you just have to jump in,’” says Conner. “It is especially important for our new students to hear because they are getting ready to embark on a new experience. College may feel like a jump out of a plane. It can be daunting and scary, but you have to take a risk to enjoy the beauty of the new experience.”

Conner plans to jump again for her daughter Kayla’s 20th birthday in the spring.

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