Texas

Skydiver killed while testing high- risk ‘swooping’ landing in Texas

Published

1 year ago

July 3, 2023

Skydiver killed while testing high- risk ‘swooping’ landing in Texas

A 29-year-old champion skydiver from Australia was killed in Texas while testing a high-risk method for the sport called “swooping.”

Melissa Porter, of Perth, an instructor at Skydive Spaceland Houston, was attempting the new maneuver on June 24 when she had a hard landing and fell into shallow water, ABC 13 Houston reported.

Witnesses said her parachute deployed during the “advanced landing maneuver,” but was too close to the ground, news.com.au reported.

Porter was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Investigators said they didn’t notice any blunt force trauma to her body and were not sure if she had suffered a medical emergency during the dive, the Houston TV station said.

Champion Australian skydiver Melissa Porter, 29, was killed while trying a high-risk landing maneuver during a jump at Skydive Spaceland Houston, where she was an instructor..

Eloy Navarro via Mel Porter/Facebook

Porter and her dog — Porter won gold at the Australian Skydiving Championships earlier this year.

The Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death.

“She’s my baby and she’s not coming home,” Porter’s mother, Vonnie Porter, told Australia’s 9NEWS.

She said her daughter loved the sport.

“That was her happy place. She’ll forever be in the sky roaming the world now,” Vonnie told the outlet.

Porter in mid-jump as she pretends to lie down — “She’s my baby and she’s not coming home,” Porter’s mother, Vonnie Porter, said.

Porter takes a mud bath in an undated photo.

Porter was one of 23 women who jumped at Skydive Ramblers in Toogoolawah in May — completing the “2-point 23 way,” an Australian women’s total-break sequential record, news.com.au reported.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was “providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian woman who died in the United States.

“We send our deepest condolences to the woman’s family,” a DFAT rep added.

In skydiving, swooping involves a series of tricky maneuvers that allow jumpers to “swoop” at high speeds over the ground or water before leveling off rapidly for the landing.

Porter and her skydiving partner Josh Tassicker won gold at the Australian Skydiving Championships earlier this year when they competed in the two-way Inter Vertical Formation Skydiving category at Hillman Farm Skydiving Club.

“It was a shock when we took gold but it’s been amazing — it definitely makes me want to compete further,” she told the Sound Telegraph.

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Related Topics:australia deaths Featured Houston news parachuting skydiving texas

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Texas

Bandera Texas Ranches Now on the Market

Published

5 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

“James Bigley Ranches offers unique insight on ranches, Western history, sustainability, and land management. With a wealth of experience in wildlife, firefighting, ranching, and corporate America, James provides expert advice on property buying, selling, and responsible land stewardship. Follow along with James as he shares valuable insights and stories about ranch life and land management!”

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Texas

Dinner at Dallas restaurant becomes holiday tradition for North Texas families

Published

14 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Dinner at Dallas restaurant becomes holiday tradition for North Texas families

Holiday traditions run the gamut in North Texas. For some, it means a yearly dinner at a popular Dallas Chinese restaurant. But not just any dinner. These are gatherings reserved months in advance. And Wednesday’s festivities just happened to fall on Christmas day and the start of Hanukkah.

Ask April Kao when they plan to close the Royal China restaurant for the night, and she’ll tell you simply whenever the last person leaves. It’s what she’s grown accustomed to. When the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, with all its excitement and frenzy, comes breezing through the front door of the Royal China restaurant off Preston Road and Royal Lane.

Kao and her husband George, both owners of the restaurant, said opening on December 25 was never part of the original business plan.

“We didn’t used to open on Christmas day,” she said. “And in 2008 after the renovation, people begged and begged, ‘Please you have to open.’”

So, they did, and there’s been a massive turnout ever since. People from surrounding neighborhoods in North Dallas and people from different faith communities rely on Royal China.

“Before we open the door, we have lines outside and it’s getting busier and busier. So we take reservations a year before,” Kao said.

One Dallas family made reservations during the summer just to be sure their 15-year tradition wouldn’t miss a beat.

“My son-in-law, Berry, was the one who first suggested that we come to a Chinese restaurant on Christmas day,” said Lynn Harnden. “And we make our reservations like in July to be sure to come.”

As the years pass, seats are added to the reservation. This year, the Hardens occupied two tables with seventeen guests.

As for upholding family traditions, the Kaos have their own wall of memories at the restaurant. It’s a reminder of how far they’ve come from 1974, when George Kao’s father came from Taiwan with a dream and a plan.

“He is very proud,” he said. “He would smile. He’s smiling from above.”

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