Laughter, tears and lots of cheers filled the Campbell River airport yesterday while veterans from across Canada took part in Operation Pegasus Jump.
The week-long event is helping vets overcome their fears and find new friends while learning how to skydive. The event was started last year by Rob McNeill, who operates the Campbell River Skydive Centre. McNeill is a veteran who says he’s lost too many friends to suicide and wants to help others find healing.
“In the last couple of years there’s been a huge increase in the suicide rate amongst veterans and first responders,” he says, pointing out the support networks to help them deal with trauma and PTSD are nearly non-existent.
McNeill says he and his friends came up with the idea for healing through skydiving.
“So we were sitting around talking one day. We’re doing OK. We’re not doing great, we have our own demons that we deal with,” he says. “But wouldn’t it be great if we could get everybody here, and give them a bit of the medicine that’s helping us get through it?”
Operation Pegasus Jump went ahead for the first time last year and attracted a lot of interest. This year there are three times as many participants, and McNeill says he’s thrilled to see so many people helping each other find healing.
Yesterday featured a special jump event, a ceremony with the mayor, and award presentations. There was also a blessing ceremony by local First Nations, who thanked the vets for protecting the freedom of all Canadians.
VIDEO of the colour party landing for the ceremony, Jen MacKinnon, Mike “Macko” Cyr, Darryl Cattell, and Adam Hanna:
