Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Wheelchair User Marvels At How 'Free' He Felt After Indoor Skydiving

Wheelchair User Marvels At How 'Free' He Felt After Indoor Skydiving
David Sloan, who has Parkinson's Disease, was exhilarated by the experience of indoor skydiving. (WeAreVertigo/PA)

A Belfast wheelchair user has described his experience of indoor skydiving as “freeing."


Christopher Sloan, 34, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the age of 22.

He has been using a wheelchair for three years due to the hereditary illness which claimed the lives of two of his uncles.

Staff at indoor activity center We Are Vertigo said he surpassed the heights of many others on their first attempt.

He also inspired his brother David, who also has Parkinson's, to give it a try.

His uncle Peter Sloan had arranged for his bucket list request to try skydiving for his 34th birthday, thanks to the facilities at the center in Belfast's Titanic Quarter, a short distance from their home in the Markets area.

After the experience, his mother Brigid sent a thank you message to staff saying he had “not stopped smiling since."

The team at the center then invited both brothers to try an indoor skydiving session.

After his second go, Christopher said he was already looking forward to trying it again.

“It was amazing. I felt so free. I can't wait to do it again," he said.

His brother David sported a superman costume for his turn, saying: “It was the best experience I've had, apart from my kids being born."

Christopher gets the thumbs up after safety checks (WeAreVertigo)

Peter Sloan said it had been incredible to watch.

“It was incredible to watch him in action and see the pure excitement and joy that being weightless and flying brought to him," he said.

“He wanted to come back and his brother David also wanted to try it, so we are so grateful to the team at We Are Vertigo for their kindness in inviting us back – it's given us all a big lift.

“The team were so good with them both. It's important that there be no limits when you have disabilities – there's enough obstacles out there stopping us.

“The instructors and staff made us feel like there was nothing Christopher and David couldn't do.

“It's amazing to have facilities like this in Belfast, that help people like Christopher and David. It provides a really important release, gets them out of the house and helps improve their mental health as well."

We Are Vertigo managing director Gareth Murphy described the brothers as inspiring.

“We were so inspired when we saw Christopher taking flight – he is living proof that there are no limits to what you can achieve when you put your mind to something," he said.

“We were so touched by the positive and uplifting impact that the experience had for Christopher and his family, and when we heard that his brother David also wanted to have a go, we had to invite them back to experience the thrill of indoor skydiving together.

Christopher and David Sloan prepare to take flight (WeAreVertigo/PA)

“Maeve, one of our instructors, was there during Christopher's first flight and was blown away by how quickly he followed the instructions and achieved independent flight, far surpassing the heights reached by many people on their first go.

“She was so inspired by his story that when we told her we were bringing Christopher and his brother back, she came into work on her day off to see them fly again.

“Seeing the joy and freedom they experienced was just incredible and instilled a great sense of pride amongst our entire team that we were able to play a part in helping them to achieve their dreams.

“We've given Christopher and David an open invitation to return and use our facilities any time they want and we look forward to sharing many more flights with them in the future."

More from News

Kid Rock
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Kid Rock Dragged After Donning A Truly Over-The-Top Outfit For His White House Visit

Singer Kid Rock was slammed for wearing a loud patriotic costume inside the Oval Office as Republican President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday against ticket scalping.

The rocker's outfit consisted of a red, white, and blue jacket emblazoned with two eagles facing each other above the American flag with the number 250, a nod to America's upcoming 250th anniversary, and white stars on his sleeves.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Bill Cassidy
CNBC

MAGA Senator Just Said The Quiet Part Out Loud With Epic Freudian Slip About Medicare

Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy was widely mocked following his inconvenient slip of the tongue during a CNBC interview as he mused about finding ways to "cut" Medicare before quickly correcting himself.

The exchange occurred after host Rebecca Quick pressed Louisiana Republican and former physician Bill Cassidy on how his party intended to fund the “trillion-dollar tax cuts” sought by President Donald Trump.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Tim Sheehy
CNN

GOP Senator Gets Blunt Reality Check After Comparing Trump Tariff 'Pain' To Home Renovation

Montana Republican Senator Tim Sheehy was criticized after he tried to compare the "short-term pain" of President Donald Trump's tariffs to home renovation, a claim so ridiculous that CNN's Kaitlan Collins quickly pushed back on the analogy.

Trump has repeatedly referred to April 2 as “Liberation Day,” pledging to impose tariffs—taxes on imports—to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign goods. He has framed these tariffs as “reciprocal,” aiming to match the duties other nations place on American exports.

Keep ReadingShow less
Susan Crawford; Elon Musk
Scott Olson/Getty Images (left and right)

Liberal Wisconsin Judge Calls Out Elon Musk In Victory Speech—And It's Everything

Liberal judge Susan Crawford called out billionaire Elon Musk in her victory speech after winning a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, basking in successfully beating her Republican opponent Brad Schimel and ensuring that the nonpartisan court’s narrow 4-3 liberal majority remains intact despite Musk's efforts to sway the race.

Musk fueled the high-stakes race, having poured more than $20 million into supporting Schimel, according to state campaign records. That includes $3 million to the state Republican Party—$2 million of which was donated just last week. Due to state election laws, large contributions must be funneled through political parties before reaching candidates.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Describe The Worst 'Bonus' They've Ever Gotten At Work

Most of us have worked at one problematic workplace, with reasons ranging from toxic coworkers to terrible bosses to unlivable pay. Sometimes, it feels like a joke that the employees are even being paid at all!

But the biggest joke of all might be the end-of-year bonus, or lack thereof. They're at times so laughable, they take the cake for horrible work conditions, or are quite literally, a slice of cake.

Keep ReadingShow less