Shayna Richardson's One and Only Post...Read It and Get Over It!!!!

Well, the coverage could be looked in 2 ways. But i do agree i don't think it helped our sport. All i am saying is there is nothing wrong with asking for help.
You see it all the time on tv. Mainly these 3rd world countries etc etc etc.
JFTC is a good thing don't get me wrong. But, if i want to give then i will. I don't need people making me feel guilty if i don't buy a raffle ticket from them.
I just don't feel we should critisize her for asking for help.
As for the insurance policy. Everyone is saying you shouldn't jump without it. But, do most policies cover skydiving or Extreme sports.?

The fact is, when something happens in the news, the phone rings more.

It gets people thinking about skydiving. All kinds of people have some Good or bad thoughts about it. This doesn't help skydiving look safer, I agree.

I'm closed so it has nothing to do with my wallet.

-

I'd rather see America pay for some little kids kidney transplant or cancer treatment.

I dont think ONE DIME from any charity or government relief organization should help her fix her face.

Quote

Shayna did not just break a femur or a tib fib. She almost broke every bone in her body. I am sure her medical bills are outrageous and she needs help paying them.

She should have thought about that before she got on the airplane.

Shayna chose to skydive. She didn't have to. Common sense should have told her that it was possible she could be seriously injured or die as a consequence of that decision - I mean, c'mon, what part of throwing yourself at the ground at a high rate of speed sounds safe? If common sense didn't tell her this, the waiver she signed and the instructors she was learning from should have.

I don't have medical insurance. Every time I jump I'm risking an accident that could leave me in the same situation Shayna is in. The difference is that I know and accept those risks for myself; I don't expect that anyone will help me pay those ridiculous medical bills if it happens and I wouldn't ask anyone to do so. It might take me the rest of my life to pay those bills; that's the risk I take by jumping without medical insurance.

And before anyone says I'll be singing a different tune if it does happen to me, bullshit. I've been in more than one tough spot caused by my choices and actions. I didn't expect anyone to help me get out of them. I did, after some persuading, accept help that was freely offered. That's different.

Quote

why not have a heart and help her out now.

Had she said she wasn't asking for help (and if I wasn't still recovering financially from the consequences of my decision to move to Hurricane Alley), I'd be one of the first to offer. But she is asking for help, not just from skydivers but from the general public as well, and her post here sounds very much like she feels she's entitled to it.

Sorry, but I think that's wrong.

Quote

Let them loose their insurance and then radically change their lives. Worring about every little thing. Screw 'em.

The question that one has to ask here is who is affected by the choice to engage in a high risk activity wihthout health and/or life insurance. If you are single and have nobody in your life that depends on your income for survival, then the choice to jump without insurance seems much less consequential.

Those who have families or other people who would be directly affected by a disabling injury should carefully consider the consequences of such an incident.

One post, why bother?

If Shayna wanted to be an adult and take responsibilities for her actions she would have no problem answering people's questions.

If she wants to be part of the skydiving community, which she implies by saying she will jump again, then why not sign up to DZ.com and say hey, talk about it like an adult explain why she has done things the way she has and get on with things.

To come on and say this is my only post, but I am gonna keep jumping? Doesn't make a great deal of sense.

Ok so the media fucked her over, shock horror how many skydiving incidents are reported accurately?

Quote

Quote: In fact, by not having health insurance, those of us WITH health insurance will have higher costs. For every person who gets hurt and cannot pay, it drives up the cost for those who can and do pay, which is then passed on to insurance, who raise their rates to maintain their profit levels.

I just had to fill out forms for my "Open Enrollment" for 2006 at work. I had the opportunity to make changes. I continue in 2006 to carry full Medical, Major Medical, Dental, a flex plan for out of pocket expenses for myself and my family. I pay a SHIT LOAD of money for that insurance and it goe up each year. My company covers part of it but given the screwey rules and that it is based in a different state then me the price is pretty high but less still then some alternatives I have looked into. I wish they paid more but I realize that I have to pay not only for me but more importantly for my family and really for my 5-1/2 y/o daughter.

The thing that pisses me off is I did not need the insurance last year, other then dental, and it hurts to see the monthly premium go up. I 100% blame that on people that dont take the responsibility to stand up for their actions. What happened was an accident but it was no accident to go on TV and in effect look for help. That, to me, is nothing more then being on a street corner begging for money. I dont give them anything and if I could help it I would not give you a dime either. Unfortunantly when I see my insurance premiums go up, I am paying along with everyone else for you.

I would love to hear a big thank you from someone like you who made a completely stupid decision. Stupid was not the jump and it was not the messing up that lead to the accident, I am sorry that happened. I feel this way 100% for the STUPIDITY of not being prepared to deal with the consequences of not having insurance if something did happen.....

Scott C.

Quote

If people want to ban me for having a skydiving accident then it will be a loss of money for them

HOW?????????????????

You are asking for HANDOUTS, because your choose to participate in a dangerous activity without health insurance.

Sound like you are going to cost more people money then they will ever make off you.

Quote

Quote

If people want to ban me for having a skydiving accident then it will be a loss of money for them

HOW?????????????????

You are asking for HANDOUTS, because your choose to participate in a dangerous activity without health insurance.

Sound like you are going to cost more people money then they will ever make off you.

Wiping eyes. lol I must admit you do have a point!

Quote

So each time you take your car, you accept that you will die or get hurt? So you can not complain that you have lost your legs after some traffic accident, because you choose to drive and you choose the risk to loose your legs? Or that some bank robber shot your mother because she choose to go to that specific bank that specific day, so it was really her choice to get shot?
I have seen some crazy reasoning on this site.

She needs to pay some bills, with or without insurance she has to pay them. If you were in her case, and I really don't believe she took the decision to wreck her body, I am really interested what you would do?

I understand that she takes the responsibility of the accident on her, without blaming somebody. It's her choice to ask money, it's your choice to pay or not.

Jump more, talk less and be lucky that it wasn't you who was hurt.


Jurgen

There are risks in life, period. Everytime I step foot out onto the street I know there is a risk .

But having said that I dont go playing chicken with a bus or a mack truck. Getting shot in a bank? Um my dear, now you are grasping at straws. There are things you need to do in life, and like I have said numours times, shit happens. You do not have to skydive, it is a choice, and a dangerous one, just like playing chicken with a mack truck. She made a choice to play chicken with the earth. Didnt work out to her favor.

As for driving...would you drive a car with out auto insurance? oh wait most states it is AGAINST THE LAW. So now you are comparing something quite different. Yes I have been in a car wreck, totaled my brand new car, old lady turned in front of me as I was coming thru the intersection. Insurance delt with all of it. That is what insurance is for. That is why I have it. No I wasnt at fault and actually that driver lost her license because she was deemed unsafe. How the hell she didnt see me coming in honda element I will never know, doc and judge agreed. but that is a different story.

Shit happens in life, and again im going to make this statement. It is about choices, she DIDNT have to skydive, nor did she have to do it uninsured.

If maybe possibly someone would think twice before putting themselves into financial turmoil for a few min of fun..then this discussion is worth while. Let others learn from others mistakes.

There is a huge difference between freak accidents and making poor choices. Skydiving while uninsured is a poor choice if you are not in the position to deal with any medical bills if shit happens.

You asked what would I do in her shoes? I wouldnt end up there by making the choice not to skydive. Im not going to put myself in the position where I could get seriously hurt. If I ended up uninsured with some sort of freak disease, that was totally out of control I might then ask for help. But not when I made a poor decision.

All of life is about choices and consequences

For Shayna:
Did you really think you could do all these interviews and be that public ... and people not talk? and then fault them for filling in their own blanks?

For the money you are asking from people, does it bother you that it might be money that the salvation army, red cross or other nonprofit might have gotten for a needy or hungry child?

Did you know you were pregnant before you made that jump? Have you made plans for the financial aspect of a child especially since you (presumably) have no insurance and now the pregnancy is a pre-existing condition?

You have to take responsibility for your own life, and now that of the life you chose to create. If you think the financial responsibility of a skydiving accident without insurance is too much to bear, then you are about to get a smack from reality when you start adding up the expenses you are about to incur. You are in for an education on responsibility the likes of which you can not imagine in a handful of months. I believe you were the one that said it best...."get over it".

Quote

JFTC has similarities to 'someone pounding themselves in and asking for money'.
Smoking is a known risk factor for cancer. There were many women from JFTC that smoke, including Mallory Tarcher and Lesley Gale. Someone lighting up and then asking for money for cancer research, jump money and hotels etc is saying 'Hey I want to find a cure for cancer and jump with your money so that I can continue on with my risky behavior'. The difference between the two is that one solicits money before a tragedy and one solicits money after a tragedy.

Jan, smoking has not been linked to breast cancer, which is what JFTC covers. Alcohol is a different matter.

At best smoking is a suspected element. But I can't tell if it's listed that way because it might be a weak link, or because doctors will use every scare tactic possible to discourage smoking.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_2X_What_causes_breast_cancer_5.asp

So while you may not approve of their smoking, I don't see the hypocrisy you suggest.

This bit disturbed me from Shayna's post:

Quote

my reserve was a 170...again at 120 lbs was more then big enough...as if I really went up planning to use it

I was taught: expect the possibility that you might have to use your reserve on every jump. The thing is not put there to make your rig look nice. (The discussion about whether or not the reserve was, in fact, "big enough" at ~0.9 WL on 9 jumps is in another thread so i'll ignore that bit.)

Quote

"It's called your guaranteed open. That's what everyone refers to it as," Richardson said.

.

someone has been lying to this poor girl .. nothing is guaranteed in this sport except the fact that you will hit the ground. How hard is up to you most of the time.

Quote

This bit disturbed me from Shayna's post:

Quote

my reserve was a 170...again at 120 lbs was more then big enough...as if I really went up planning to use it

I was taught: expect the possibility that you might have to use your reserve on every jump. The thing is not put there to make your rig look nice. (The discussion about whether or not the reserve was, in fact, "big enough" at ~0.9 WL on 9 jumps is in another thread so i'll ignore that bit.)

Good point.
Back in the day, when we used round reserves, we'd spot for the reserve. There was a reason for that - because you have to presume you'll use it.

Quote

Jan, smoking has not been linked to breast cancer, which is what JFTC covers. Alcohol is a different matter.

At best smoking is a suspected element. But I can't tell if it's listed that way because it might be a weak link, or because doctors will use every scare tactic possible to discourage smoking.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_2X_What_causes_breast_cancer_5.asp

So while you may not approve of their smoking, I don't see the hypocrisy you suggest.

http://www.breastcancer.org/research_smoking.html
http://www.ash.org.uk/html/factsheets/html/fact04.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-03-08-smoking-breastcancer_x.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/01/040107074305.htm
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1146/context/cover/

google breast cancer smoking FMI


.

Quote

So each time you take your car, you accept that you will die or get hurt?

Yes, and I have insurance for such incidents.

j

I don't give money to panhandlers, whether they are on the street corner or on my tv.

Quote

Have I skied uninsured? yep, but very cautiously, still had a blast, but didnt do stupid shit.

So, having insurance is "license" to go ahead and do the "stupid shit"?? ...I just couldn't help but to key in on this statement, as it seems to be a mentality that I have also seen in people's perceptions (and their statements) of jumping either with, or without a Cypres. Why would you do something stupid ("stupid shit") just because you had insurance that you otherwise in any other way would NOT do (apparently) if you did not?

Maybe I'm just "stirring" for no good reason here (other than boredom at work) too.

I'm sorry. Where in Shaynas post did she say that she didn't have insurance?

Ya'll are assuming she doesn't and then going on a rampage about it. Pretty sad.

Your assumption is likely correct. But still it's just an assumption.

As for casting stones. As an ALMOST 40 year old woman and mother, I would be a idiot to jump without insurance.

But if I look back to when I was a young girl in my 20s..... I was invincible. I made so many poor choices with my health and risk taking that I now find it mind boggling! To the best of my knowledge, I got away with it. I lived. I learned. I know better now. I am completely aware of my mortality.

Guess what. Shayna didn't get away with it. She lived. She learned. Her lesson is pretty severe. It is what it is. Now she is looking for a solution to get her out of her current jam.

If you are still here, I would suggest getting ahold of the producers of Extreme Makeover. It's not like your story could be any more "out there" than it is.

Quote

Quote

Have I skied uninsured? yep, but very cautiously, still had a blast, but didnt do stupid shit.

So, having insurance is "license" to go ahead and do the "stupid shit"?? ...I just couldn't help but to key in on this statement, as it seems to be a mentality that I have also seen in people's perceptions (and their statements) of jumping either with, or without a Cypres. Why would you do something stupid ("stupid shit") just because you had insurance that you otherwise in any other way would NOT do (apparently) if you did not?

Maybe I'm just "stirring" for no good reason here (other than boredom at work) too.

Real easy...I know what my limits are, and im not going to push them when I do not have the proper back up. Insurance is my back up plan, incase I do fuck up. Life is about pushing limits, and knowing when to push them and when not to. I do not see in my life it is a good idea to push myself in those ways when if something goes wrong I dont have a back up plan.

Each of us knows our limits and what we can handle, and must decide if we feel comfortable going past them with out a safety net. I have said in a prior post, sure I would jump with out a cypres, but not on a big way, or with a bunch of people I didnt know well. Sometimes shit id out of your control. Best you can do is control the situations you put yourself in.

To explain what I mean by stupid shit....weavin in and out of trees on ski's. or taking that huge kicker and trying to learn a new trick...or skiing off piste for the first time. Sure I would do it if I knew I had a way to pay for a fuck up if there was one to happen. And yes I have been down this road twice now, insured both times, Torn ACL and Stretched my shoulder out of the socket and had to have it surgically tightened. But I had insurance at the time. Got it fixed and kept going. Pushing the limits means putting yourself at risk. Having as much saftey measures in place to help when things go wrong...is a good thing.

Calculated risks

The no insurance thing was reported by her aunt in another thread.

In that thread her aunt stated that she had no insurance because it was her understanding that skydivers can't get insurance.

Its getting tough to follow because I think there maybe at least 4 threads on this situation.

yes it was also mentioned here /cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1979463#1979463

but until she steps up and offers the facts of her insurance situation, we won't know for sure..although $200,000 in bills would be a lot for someone with insurance(someone with a happy insurance salesman)

Edited to add the link about her insurance situation from her aunt. /cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1977406#1977406

You don't even have a name, how would you know who does and who doesn't have medical insurance?

Sparky