With “FTK” and “IUDM” written in Sharpie on their hands and teddy bears strapped to their chests, students participating in IU Dance Marathon stood at the edge of an open plane, ready to free-fall 14,000 feet.
For some, skydiving had been on their bucket list for years. For others, the only thing getting them through the jump was that this was “For the Kids.”
To help children at Riley Children’s Hospital, nearly 100 students gathered at Skydive Indianapolis during Labor Day weekend to jump with “the bravest bear in the world.” These bears would later be given to children at Riley.
“The idea is that this bear’s been through a lot,” senior Joe Steinkamp said. “He’s fearless. You tell the child to give him a hug and he’ll be there for you.”
The skydiving experience was just one of the many ways IUDM participants could give back. For senior Colin Ringas, this was the biggest takeaway.
“It doesn’t have to be money and you can make an impact on a kid’s life, just by doing that, to help you sleep at night and give them something to reach for,” Ringas said.
Although senior Lexi Allman didn’t jump, she said hearing about her peers skydiving has inspired her to be the best IUDM participant she can be.
“They’ve done the extreme, and that pushed me to do even more for everyone involved,” Allman said.
Initially, senior Becca Twait wasn’t going to jump. She was just going to support her friends. Once she arrived in Indianapolis, she knew she couldn’t leave without jumping. She said she thought of the kids the whole time. Coming together and jumping created a large sense of community, Twait said.
“The camaraderie was awesome that we were all there together, despite the committees or communities we were from,” Twait said.
IUDM will take place Nov. 4 at the IU Tennis Center. Students will stay on their feet for 12, 24 or 36 hours in hopes to top last year’s record of $3.8 million raised.
For senior Brandon Myers, skydiving was about pushing himself to see how much he could do for others.
“You’re not just skydiving for yourself,” Myers said. “These bears are something they can hold onto when they’re going through the toughest times they’ll ever have.”
