What should have been an unforgettable first-time skydiving experience turned into an unimaginable tragedy for 18-year-old Tyler Turner, whose parachute failed to deploy during a jump, leading to his untimely death while his mother watched in horror.
A Thrill That Turned 1st Skydive Ends in Tragedy
Tyler Turner, an adventurous 18-year-old, had been counting down the days to his first skydiving jump. He was excited and nervous like anyone would be before such a daring experience. In a video he recorded just before boarding the plane, Tyler introduced himself, saying, “My name is Tyler Turner. I’m about to jump out of a plane for the first time.” His mother, Francine, was right there, proudly watching her son as he prepared for what was supposed to be a thrilling adventure.
But that excitement quickly turned into a nightmare. As Tyler made the jump from 13,000 feet, the parachute never opened. He and his tandem instructor, Yong Kwon, plummeted to the ground in a heart-wrenching tragedy. Francine, who had been watching from the ground, saw the ambulances rush to the scene, unaware that her son had already lost his life.
A Promising Future Cut Short
Tyler had a bright future ahead of him. He had just graduated high school with honors and was getting ready to start his freshman year at the University of California, Merced, on a full scholarship. His dream was to study biomedical engineering and help children with conditions like his own—Tyler had cerebral palsy.
His mother, Francine, describes Tyler as a hardworking, ambitious young man with great potential. “He was an amazing kid, always trying his best. He had so much ambition and drive.” But all of that potential was lost in a single, tragic moment.
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Negligence and a $40 Million Lawsuit
What made this tragedy even more devastating was that it could have been prevented. The tandem instructor, Yong Kwon, was not properly certified to perform the jump. This alarming oversight exposed serious safety issues at the Skydive Lodi Parachute Center, the facility where Tyler’s jump took place. The facility had already been linked to over 20 deaths since the 1980s, yet it continued to operate without addressing these concerns.
In 2021, a judge ruled in favor of Tyler’s family, awarding them $40 million in damages. The family’s attorney described the facility as dangerously casual, saying it was more like a group of thrill-seekers than a professional operation.
Despite the legal victory, Francine has yet to see any of the money, as the facility’s owner, Bill Dause, continues to downplay the tragedy.
Despite the damning court ruling, Bill Dause, the owner of the Lodi Parachute Center, remains unrepentant. He refused to give an interview after the ruling, but back in 2016, following the accident, he made a callous comparison between skydiving accidents and car wrecks.
“If you see a car wreck, they don’t close the freeway,” he said, downplaying the gravity of the fatalities connected to his business.
When asked if he planned to pay the Turner family, Dause bluntly replied, “Nothing. Why? I don’t have it.”
A Legacy of Love and Justice
For Francine Turner, no amount of money can fill the void left by her son’s death. “I will have a hole in my heart for the rest of my life,” she shared, expressing the deep pain of losing her youngest son. However, she is determined to ensure that Tyler’s legacy lives on. The family plans to use the money from the lawsuit to create a scholarship in Tyler’s name, helping other students pursue their academic dreams, just as he had planned to do.
While the Skydive Lodi Parachute Center continues to operate, Tyler’s family hopes that the recent court ruling will bring attention to the facility’s serious safety risks. They want stricter regulations in place to prevent more families from experiencing the heartbreak they’ve endured.
Tyler’s story is a sobering reminder that extreme sports, while thrilling, carry risks that should never be taken lightly. Francine and her family’s fight for justice continues, but their love for Tyler will always remain at the center of their hearts.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/tyler-turner-skydiving-death-lodi
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-18/lodi-skydiving-school-death-judgment
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