- 13 hours ago
Todd Sampson's Why Season 1 Episode 4
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00:0631 line out in the following order five-way split altis reading minus 90 mill cyprus reading 1017
00:15expert cyprus reading 90 arrow up portable altimeters on and set checkers go on
00:37for as long as humans existed we've been obsessed with flight
00:49the question is why
01:18the first parachute jump happened over 200 years ago
01:21in france since then it's evolved one of the biggest changes was the birth of a completely
01:29different kind of jumping sport known as base jumping and that's going to be the focus of our
01:36story hey doc
01:46the best things in life are on the other side of fear
01:52if i feel adrenaline it usually means something is going wrong
01:58a lot of people live their entire lives without really living
02:08always a dream to be able to fly it's a feeling of freedom
02:23if there was a mecca for base jumping it would be here
02:26the purine bridge in idaho one of the few places they can legally jump year-round
02:38unlike skydiving from an airplane these jumpers leap from fixed objects with no backup parachute
02:43because there's no time to release it they only have four seconds before hitting the ground
02:53base jumping has become so popular that first jump training schools like this one
02:57have popped up around the world
03:00the only variable that we're throwing into the mix here is we're going to have our pilot
03:04shoot in our hand you can jump and then throw immediately after you jump just don't throw before
03:10you jump
03:11Scotty a former marine now makes a living out of teaching people how to base jump safely
03:16gear checked when we get to the middle of the bridge
03:17guys ready yeah let's check it out and have fun laying on the ground safely
03:23to get to this point these first-time base jumpers needed to have hundreds of skydives
03:29but base jumping is 50 times more likely to result in death than jumping from a plane
03:38all right gear checks guys you've done the drill
03:41good to go solid looks great totally good
03:47who's ready me
03:48all right dude good set hands up eyes up square up
04:00all right three two one
04:07don't throw the paddle shoot in front of you jordan
04:14beautiful
04:18square up eyes up
04:21damn it
04:27do good turn the parachute
04:3545 left
04:39got a little too deep in the pocket jake
04:53that was a little crazy that one
04:57good turn the paddle
05:04three two one see ya
05:06oh geez
05:15He landed exactly on the target.
05:22You guys ready?
05:23It seems the hike back up to the bridge is almost as precarious as the jump off.
05:27It's better to go that way where he is, I'm just trying to challenge myself here.
05:34Within a matter of minutes, the students are back up for the next jump.
05:40Oh yeah.
05:42You're in a really good spot.
05:44You are okay.
05:45I'm keen to know how they're feeling.
05:47Yeah!
05:48Do you ever think about dying?
05:50All the time, dude.
05:51Every day, man.
05:52Maybe you can think about it until the room starts spinning, you know?
05:55But I'm much more terrified of working an office job.
05:58We're here once, dude.
06:00If something happened to you, though, that's tragic.
06:04I don't know, dude.
06:04You know, you talk about quality of life and the excitement therein versus length, and I
06:10think that my personal preference after some years of thought is I'd rather potentially
06:14be the one that burns right but half the length.
06:21eating these together.
06:28You're a young Harvard graduate.
06:31Are you chasing adrenaline?
06:32You get to put yourself in a situation where you're beyond your comfort and you have to
06:38do that emotional control.
06:40Being able to remain calm and, like, that is a virtue and that is, like, that kind of character
06:45control is really, really compelling.
06:47Yes.
06:50So, why do you do this?
06:52About two years ago, a very close friend of mine passed away by suicide.
06:57The outcome for them was kind of living in fear, and I didn't want to do that.
07:03So, I started kind of doing everything that scared me the most.
07:07So, I started skydiving, which then led to base jumping, which I said I would never do.
07:15Good.
07:15Ow.
07:16We're good.
07:17We didn't put that in the documentary film.
07:19No, you're right, man.
07:21You're right.
07:22First bad landing I've had in ten years.
07:24Yeah.
07:24It punctuated the moment.
07:27Nikki is one of Scotty's newest graduates.
07:30She's been base jumping for just over two months.
07:32It's interesting that, in some ways, it was the death of a friend that inspired you to live,
07:40but you're doing something that potentially brings you closer to death than anything else you could do.
07:46Yeah.
07:47You're right.
07:48I can't argue that fact.
07:50What I will say is that I think a lot of people live their entire lives without really living.
07:59And base jumping is the only time it's acceptable for a girl to spit.
08:02Yeah.
08:10At least I know that I really did things I was passionate about and that I loved and felt like
08:15I took every opportunity.
08:19And this is my opportunity to be able to do something for myself.
08:44I'm in Idaho trying to understand why people are attracted to base jumping.
08:49To help with that, I thought I'd get to know a bit more about Nikki.
08:52We'll get two wristbands.
08:54He has my tiny wrist.
08:56So what do you want to go first?
08:58Uh, first one?
09:00I take it you're not afraid of heights.
09:02You know I actually am afraid of heights.
09:03Oh God.
09:04So you decided to skydive?
09:06Yes.
09:07Skydiving and base jumping is one of the few times in your life that you get to be totally present
09:13just to what's happening in that moment.
09:15And that in itself is such a liberating experience that you kind of crave that experience over and over again.
09:22You're getting on?
09:24Getting on the pink one.
09:25It's our turn.
09:25All right.
09:30What does base jumping give you?
09:33A sense of community, an opportunity to challenge myself mentally, physically, emotionally, and in some ways a purpose in life.
09:43Every time you do it, and you survive, it's a win.
09:50Have you known anyone who's died in the sport?
09:52Yes.
09:53Only been in the skydiving and base jumping world for November of 2022, and there's six or seven people I
10:02can think of that have died either in skydiving or base jumping.
10:05In a way, it's part of the sport and it sucks.
10:09Yes.
10:10But on the other hand, you almost feel a duty to continue to do the sport on their behalf.
10:21What do you want to do next?
10:22You choose.
10:24What is this?
10:25Star sizzler.
10:26We could do this.
10:28Oh, you want to embarrass me now.
10:30Three, two, one.
10:33Oh, come on.
10:37What's the trick with this?
10:39This is tragic.
10:40Should we go in this bunny house?
10:42We've got to get the $60 for it.
10:48Holy shit, we really come down like base jumping.
10:52Like base jumping.
10:53This one really makes you sick.
10:54So, do you want to do it?
10:56This is all over it.
10:57Are you all in line?
11:00Oh.
11:01Oh, dear.
11:02Sweet baby Jesus.
11:03Are we both putting a seatbelt on?
11:04I think that's how it works.
11:06Okay.
11:07Ask me a question.
11:09Okay.
11:10So, we're going to the fun house.
11:12What about community?
11:12How important is that?
11:13Face jumping.
11:14I think it's really important.
11:16Absolutely.
11:17You know, it's one of the most beautiful things about the sport.
11:20One of the things that happens a lot when people are on exit is they do these like fist bumps
11:26or handshakes or hugs telling the people that they're with how much they love them and care
11:31about them.
11:31Which if you think about a predominantly male-dominated sport, men expressing their emotions in that
11:38way to others and genuinely meaning it is a really incredible moment to be able to witness.
11:48What would you do if you were not base jumping?
11:50Probably baking and cooking.
11:52I did not see that coming.
11:54Really?
11:55Yeah.
11:56Ready?
11:57Let's all go at the same time.
11:58Three, two, one.
12:00See ya!
12:01Oh, God.
12:02Here we are.
12:03Oh, wow.
12:04You're really getting some traction.
12:06Okay.
12:10So, what would it take to stop you from base jumping?
12:14I'd probably have to injure myself pretty badly or die.
12:20That's the scary part, right?
12:21Like, there's a saying that there's only two ways out of base jumping.
12:24You quit for real or death.
12:27So, I don't know.
12:28I don't think I've found my why not yet.
12:31I know my why's, but there hasn't really been a why not.
12:44The next day, we get our first why not.
12:48It doesn't even look bad.
12:52Yeah.
12:52Yeah.
12:52Here it is.
12:54Good, good release.
12:58It's amazing.
12:58Everything perfect.
12:59Yeah.
13:01So, all good?
13:02Nothing?
13:02Yeah, just flying a parachute man coming in.
13:05Nice, nice flare right there.
13:08And that was it.
13:09Just caught my, just caught it in a root or a ditch or something.
13:13I knew it was pretty wrecked.
13:16Oh, wow.
13:16So, it's broken there, along there.
13:22Ripped out the ligaments on the one side, I think.
13:25Does it make you question why you do it?
13:29No.
13:29But a lot of people would potentially turn around now.
13:32You know, not like...
13:33Yeah.
13:33Because when you get in it, that's not a...
13:35You're so cash.
13:37Yeah.
13:37And so easy.
13:38But that's a serious injury, like...
13:40Yeah, it's pretty, pretty good.
13:41What about not doing it again?
13:43You gotta push through.
13:44You can do anything you put your mind to.
13:46Get your knees in the breeze, dude.
13:50If you want me to pack your rig and watch Rio...
13:54Well, are you gonna help them with Rio?
13:56Yeah, I can do that.
13:58Scotty's wife, Julia, is also a base jumping instructor.
14:01You got it, dude, it's yours.
14:02And it looks like their son, Rio, is well on his way.
14:06I can see the jumper in him.
14:08Yeah.
14:09Julia, did your view of base jumping change when Rio was born?
14:15For sure.
14:16I think I used to put myself in a lot more risk than I do now.
14:20I'm sure you understand that for people watching,
14:24it may almost seem incomprehensible...
14:27Yeah.
14:27...the level of risk you would take.
14:29Not just you, but both of you are jumpers.
14:31Yeah, yeah, I know.
14:33I actually...
14:34I jumped until, uh, eight months pregnant.
14:40So that was even harder for people to see.
14:43Hey, bud.
14:44Do you get nervous watching your wife jump?
14:48Uh, not really.
14:50We've been jumping together for a very long time now.
14:53What's going on?
14:53Is that mummy?
14:55Mummy!
14:58Real mummy.
15:00Look at Rio looking.
15:01Intently.
15:05Is that mummy?
15:09What got you into this in the first place?
15:11What's your why?
15:13I started jumping out of airplanes in the military.
15:15So I didn't really need a why back then.
15:17They just kind of told me to do it.
15:19It turned out I really liked it.
15:21It was really, really fun.
15:26But then why teach it?
15:28Because I know you have a moral dilemma, don't you?
15:32Because in some ways, you enable it, but you want to enable it safely.
15:37A lot of it was from years and years of having friends getting hurt and seeing people make a lot
15:44of the same mistakes over and over and over and over again.
15:47And you're just like, either I just keep doing this for me for fun and just, you know, which after
15:53a long time that kind of just seemed a little selfish.
15:57But at least this way, when we're teaching or guiding or coaching, we feel like we're helping stem that curve
16:04a little bit and keep people from getting hurt and doing the same mistakes.
16:12So, super easy.
16:15So you can grab here and then there's a bar at the back on the frame and just up we
16:20go.
16:20One, two, one, up.
16:23Oh!
16:23I'm a fat bastard.
16:24God, Lonnie!
16:25Jeez!
16:26It's the burgers.
16:27Now you get a real taste of what it is I ask my friends to do, right?
16:31Lonnie!
16:32It's like, holy shit!
16:33It's a lot of fucking work, man.
16:3620 years ago, Lonnie jumped from this bridge.
16:38Grab that frame.
16:39Cool.
16:41It left him a paraplegic.
16:42What they call a solid guy.
16:44You're a solid guy.
16:45Yes, you are.
16:46He's back and I want to know why.
16:48Appreciate it, man.
16:52Whoo!
16:56When you look at it now and you think back 20 years ago, what comes to mind?
17:03Oh, man, you know, the first thing that comes to mind is the great times we were having when we
17:09were my friends, you know, all of us together.
17:12As a kid, I had always dreamt of flying.
17:16Just stepping out into nothing.
17:21I was lucky enough to find something that really was a passion.
17:26Three, two, one.
17:29See ya.
17:29High speed.
17:31High speed.
17:33Three, two.
17:34Everything about the sport is so amazing.
17:38This is what makes me happy.
17:40Here we are at the Pirine Bridge in Idaho.
17:42Hello.
17:43The day of the accident, I had decided that we can do a new Canadian record.
17:48Yeah, brother!
17:49The year before, we had set a record of six people leaving the object at the same time.
17:54And we had seven here.
17:56Okay, have a good one, Sherry.
17:57Easy.
17:58Easy.
17:59We had some lesser experienced people that were there, so I was helping them climb over.
18:05And then when I was ready to leave, I know I was rushed.
18:11Three, two, one.
18:14As soon as I left, I was like, oh, whoa, I'm flipping way too slow.
18:19So I rushed the deployment.
18:21I threw the pilot shoot out, and my legs hadn't finished that last rotation yet.
18:27And just wrapped around my foot.
18:32I hit the water.
18:33Fuck!
18:36It was just one massive impact, and I was on the bottom.
18:40Oh, Jesus, someone get down there.
18:42You know, my body started going into convulsions, gasping for air.
18:46And I just kept saying, I can't drown.
18:49I have to survive for my boys.
18:51Lonnie spent nearly three minutes underwater before being rescued.
18:55I was a couple of weeks in intensive care.
18:57They kept me medically induced.
18:58When I woke up, the first question I had for the doctor was,
19:03how long do you think it'll be before I can jump again?
19:05Straight up.
19:06She said, Lonnie, listen, I'm sorry to tell you.
19:08You've suffered a spinal cord injury.
19:10You'll never jump again.
19:12And I just looked at her.
19:13I was like, I'm sorry.
19:15You don't know who you're talking to.
19:17I will jump again.
19:19You know, I always joke, you know, a smart guy would have quit, right?
19:23You know, a lot of people, you know, they say, oh, base jumpers, you know,
19:26you have a death wish with all this garbage.
19:29And it's the exact opposite, right?
19:31We have a life wish.
19:32We wish to live life to the absolute fullest.
19:54It's a little farther than we thought.
19:56Exactly, right?
19:56Yeah, I'm looking at it now.
19:57It's like a couple inches.
19:58Yeah, we got like a couple inches.
19:59So the concern here is that the wheelchair will not have enough space.
20:04One to rotate.
20:06Three, two, one and go.
20:07But more concerningly is not enough of a push off.
20:10So there's a potential of his pack would hit on the back of the platform,
20:16which would be, well, it'd be disastrous.
20:23Yeah.
20:26I'm not going to say good luck.
20:27No.
20:28I'm going to say enjoy.
20:30Exactly, man.
20:31Yeah.
20:32It would be awesome.
20:35God.
20:37It's always scary.
20:40This is the altitude that if I mess up the exit, then I can be in a lot of trouble
20:44really
20:44fast.
20:45My feet is off.
20:47You had a good grip light?
20:49That's what we're here for.
20:50It's super dangerous because as the chair flips, you know, the chair is full of snaggy bits
20:57that will just chew up a parachute.
21:00Yeah.
21:01Yeah.
21:01Okay, we good?
21:02Yeah.
21:03Going in to the chair.
21:11He's out there on the platform.
21:14He just looks crazily high from here.
21:19It's 20 years since his accident and he's back.
21:21The same bridge.
21:23I'm excited for Lonnie to jump.
21:25And on the other day, I feel sort of complicit and worried that something bad could happen.
21:33Sure, it's always scary.
21:36Yeah, buddy.
21:37But the best things in life are on the other side of fear.
21:39Let go.
21:40Let him go.
21:42Love you, man.
21:43Love you too, brother.
21:44Thanks, dude.
21:46You have to face fear every day.
21:52Go.
21:54Yeah, Lonnie.
21:57Nice.
21:58He's good.
22:01When I roll off to the edge like that, for those few seconds, I'm me again.
22:12There's no more obstacles.
22:14There's no more restrictions.
22:17Yeah!
22:19Woo!
22:19It's a feeling of freedom.
22:22Just always a dream to be able to fly.
22:25I just, I need to do this for me.
22:28Can you do it?
22:29Yeah!
22:31Yeah!
22:32Woo-hoo!
22:34Being in a wheelchair is a tough life.
22:37Places aren't accessible.
22:38There's stairs.
22:39Doors aren't wide enough.
22:44But when I roll off at the edge like that, right, I'm fully, I'm fully able.
22:50There's no more obstacles.
22:52You know, I'm just me.
22:53I'm just Lonnie.
22:54I'm just, I'm able to fly my parachute.
22:57Of course, until it comes time to land, right?
22:59It's like, all right, here we go again.
23:12Before I leave the world of base jumping, I'm heading to Utah to meet Pat and Hartman,
23:16two of the best wingsuit jumpers on the planet.
23:19Which one is it?
23:20Yeah, it's right here, the biggest, most sheer thing in the middle out there.
23:23It's about 1,000 meters above us, 2,000 meters away.
23:26It takes about a minute to get here from there.
23:28A minute?
23:28A minute.
23:29A minute.
23:30And where do you land?
23:31Yeah, we're going to be landing right over here.
23:33For context, going from base jumping to wingsuit base jumping is like getting out of a go-kart
23:38and into a Formula One car.
23:40Now, Pat, OH&S warning.
23:43Oh, yeah.
23:43You're wearing sandals.
23:45Yeah, of course.
23:46It could be dangerous on this decline.
23:50It's hard to find a landing area that's this nice.
23:52This is good.
23:53Yeah.
23:54Okay, so the flight path.
23:56Right, so we'll be jumping off this middle cliff here.
23:59There's a ridge that you can see that comes down below the middle cliff.
24:02So, if you were to watch someone from here, they would be in sight for about five seconds,
24:08and then they drop below the tree line before popping out through that little canyon there.
24:12You make it sound so easy.
24:14You fly over here and...
24:16Yeah.
24:17It's clearly not easy.
24:18But what makes it possible is this.
24:24How does one come up with this suit?
24:28All of the development comes from skydiving.
24:31By the time we get it, the stuff has been fully, fully tested in the skydiving environment.
24:36We have the vents in the top right here for the arms, and then two more for the legs.
24:41Once you get a little bit of airspeed, it's going to go pressurize up the inlets in here,
24:45and make it into one solid wing.
24:47So, you don't have to use that much effort.
24:48It just kind of puts itself in the position it wants to be flown in.
24:51So, you're traveling 160 kilometers an hour.
24:55That's all right, yeah.
24:56So, how do you control it at 160 kilometers an hour?
25:01So, with enough time, it really becomes effortless, where you just think about going that way.
25:05You'll end up doing a little bit of a weight shift, a little bit of change in body position,
25:09and it will end up doing it.
25:13Oh, it feels good to see in the sun.
25:16Yeah.
25:17A little bit of warmth.
25:19I mean, it's totally disarming, as if we're going for a Sunday stroll.
25:26Just totally chilled.
25:29The common belief is that anyone who does this must be an adrenaline junkie,
25:34someone who's searching the thrill.
25:37You don't come across like that.
25:38To be honest, if I feel adrenaline, it usually means something is going wrong.
25:43I didn't make the right plan.
25:44There's a mistake that's happening.
25:50Base jumping is considered the most dangerous sport in the world.
25:54But, like everything else, there are levels to that.
25:58Wingsuit base combined with low proximity flying has to be the most dangerous sport.
26:06But arguably, one of the most dangerous things you could do.
26:09Sitting here at their launch point, it seems almost unfathomable that they would leap from here.
26:33We know exactly what the risks are.
26:36If the weather conditions are good, things should be consistent.
26:38You should be able to perform just like you have every other time.
26:42So, after that, the bigger risk is decision-making.
26:45If you step back a little bit and control your decision-making process,
26:51then I think you can go keep it safe.
26:56All right.
26:57Yeah.
26:57Yeah.
26:58I'm going to see you on the bottom.
26:59All right.
27:00See you on the bottom.
27:01Yeah.
27:04Everyone's ready.
27:05Okay.
27:06Turn GoPros on.
27:07Yeah.
27:08It's fun.
27:08Hell yeah, Pat.
27:13Yeah.
27:14Okay.
27:14Let's do it.
27:16Okay.
27:17We're good to go.
27:18Have fun.
27:19And ready.
27:22Three.
27:24Two.
27:25One.
27:27See ya.
27:45We all dream of flying.
27:47To soar.
27:49To be free.
27:50To be in the moment.
27:51And for an instant, totally in control of our destiny.
28:02For these base jumpers, their greatest fear isn't death.
28:06It's not living enough.
28:12Flight has always captivated humans.
28:15From parachuting, to base jumping, and now wingsuiting.
28:19Who knows what will come next?
28:24One thing is certain.
28:26We'll never stop looking to the sky for inspiration.
28:31Woo hoo.
28:42Yeah.
28:43Ironman.
28:44Yeah.
28:48Nice.
28:49Peace.
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