Basejumper.com - archive

 pete I love you man. see you on the other side.my life will be forever changed by your passing. ...words fail me

Definitely the most genuine jumper
I have ever had the pleasure to
meet, jump, and smoke with.

BSBD -~- Fly Free Brother

Just spent 4 nights sharing a tent with Pete in the deep backcountry. We made an epic jump in very inhospitable territory. It is bewildering that the safest jump in the US took his life just after him making one of the most sketchy wsbase jumps in the US.
Pete, you touched many lives, and im proud to have had you as a freind, and I will never forget the good times we've had.
BSBD

Pete and I used to go to the Waffle House to piss them off by ordering - pancakes.

I wish you made it to our florida B boogie......and i wish that SE tour would've went down. but im glad we got to hang out the times we did. thanks for the memories and the jumps man. love ya bro. see ya later......

~Peace

I admired Pete more as a person and as a jumper than almost anyone. He was incredible. We called him Tarzan. He would jog 20 miles a day. He actually climbed Mt. Everest. A real Renaissance man. He had a giant collection of fine books, anti-aircraft guns, 14 BASE rigs, and other things. He was there for me when my father died recently. He offered to let me live with him while working in his area. We had talked about starting a heavy metal band in the spirit of Ministry. He offered to come down to Florida to help me when my mother died last month. I wish he had so he wouldn't have been in Twin Falls to make his final leap.

I had a chance to meet up with Pete but regretfully never did. Now I will never get that chance again. I don't have the words because I didn't know him but he sounded like a great guy. You will be missed and we'll see you on the exit point.

I met Pete a few times briefly in the past, but first really had the oppurtunity to spend time with him recently in LB Valley on this years trip. He seemed like such a light hearted and genuine person and a rocking jumper. Times were a lot of fun with him and I can only imagine how much he will be missed by those closest to him and I am truly sorry for such a great loss. Fly free Pete.

http://www.youtube.com/...&feature=related

im crushed to have to hear the news, but I am honored to have had you as such a close friend

 I am so sorry about the misspelling everyone. pete would have laughed about it. or i should say is laughing about it. I have been asked to be part of the service. and am honored to do so. but so so saddened to have to do so. my life will be so much less exciting if only vicariously. by his passing. the service is fri in the a.m. anyone can p.m. me if they want to details

R.I.P. Pete I'll miss your smile in the swiss valley!! My thoughts with your family and friends!!! Fly free.

If any of you were close to Pete and plan on attending his services, but do not yet have the information about them, send me a pm for details.

I was very close to Pete, and he was a good friend. I taught him AFF many years ago. He taught me a few things about life also. Never settle for anything but the best! He will be dearly missed by all of the people he touched in life.

Can anyone provide the funeral arrangement details?

Services for Pete will be at:

Berryhill Funeral Home
2305 Memorial Parkway Northwest
Huntsville, AL 35810
(256) 536-9197

Visitation: Thurs. 6-8pm
Funeral: Fri. 2pm

I live about an hour and fifteen minutes south of Huntsville, but any friend of Pete is a friend of mine and as such is welcome to stay at my house. I've got a couple futons, an army cot, some blankets, and floor space as well. Send me a pm if you need a place to hang for a while.

-Steve Park

Pete - RIP, you go man, to the side of life we never see...i'm with you, bro.

http://www.waaytv.com/news/content/newsatten/story/New-Hope-Man-Dies-Base-Jumping/Xj6GU1CdZUqwuZsCrNwnuA.cspx

A nice article by the local news. His mom sounds great.

gold.

His mom was afraid of how she sounded. She did an awesome job. It's been so hard for her....
Pete was a great son. Its so hard to believe that he's gone. I just took his wingsuit to the funeral home. He's going to wear it and Fly Free... It took me 20 minutes to take it in... I just sat there and cried... Love you Pete......

Deanna

BSBD Pete

I was very impressed with his mother. Her interview was the best I have ever seen in this sort of situation and clearly showed that she is the type of strong Southern Lady who could raise someone so well loved and respected by all.

Any one of us would be proud to have that kind of send off from our loved ones.

Blue skies-

 any base jumpers rolling thru nashville need to call me. keith 615-428-3580 I have plenty of space to crash. and a tower within sight. a couple actualy.

The World Is a Beautiful Place

The world is a beautiful place
to be born into
if you don't mind happiness
not always being
so very much fun
if you don't mind a touch of hell
now and then
just when everything is fine
because even in heaven
they don't sing
all the time

The world is a beautiful place
to be born into
if you don't mind some people dying
all the time
or maybe only starving
some of the time
which isn't half bad
if it isn't you

Oh the world is a beautiful place
to be born into
if you don't much mind
a few dead minds
in the higher places
or a bomb or two
now and then
in your upturned faces
or such other improprieties
as our Name Brand society
is prey to
with its men of distinction
and its men of extinction
and its priests
and other patrolmen

and its various segregations
and congressional investigations
and other constipations
that our fool flesh
is heir to

Yes the world is the best place of all
for a lot of such things as
making the fun scene
and making the love scene
and making the sad scene
and singing low songs and having inspirations
and walking around
looking at everything
and smelling flowers
and goosing statues
and even thinking
and kissing people and
making babies and wearing pants
and waving hats and
dancing
and going swimming in rivers
on picnics
in the middle of the summer
and just generally
'living it up'
Yes
but then right in the middle of it
comes the smiling

mortician



~Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Rest in Peace B.A.S.E. 683... I'm honored to have shared so many incredible experiences with you. You will be missed brother!!

1362

I was one of the pallbearers for Pete's body.

It was so tragic for me too.

Pete and I would do this one harmless stunt. Remember this and do this in his memory for Pete.

GO TO WAFFLE HOUSE AND ORDER PANCAKES! ARGUE WITH THEM AND DEMAND PANCAKES! THEY WILL RESIST. FIGHT THEM!

Chris, thanks for going & inviting me
to ride along with you, I wish I could
have gotten off work and gone with
you to say my goodbyes and help.

My "wow, this dude is cool as hell" story about Pete

a year ago I was looking to replace my old container with a shiny new one. I posted my rig on here, and Pete was the first one to respond. He sent a check and I prepared to send the rig. He specifically informed me to wait till I got my new rig before I sent it, because he didn't want me not being able to jump. 3 and a half months later, I still didn't have my rig (go figure) all the while, calling Pete and telling him I was sorry for the hold up. He never once expressed any sort of ill will...ever. I kept saying, "im just gonna send it dude" and he would respond "I'll send it back if you do...don't send it till you got your rig" After finally sending the rig, he wrote me an email expressing HIS gratitude to ME for the awesome rig (I couldn't believe this guy).

After finally jumping with him Lauterbrunen this summer, I came to get a better grasp on Pete. He was THE single nicest person I ever met. He loved BASE jumping more than anyone, and could not stand to see another person not able to jump. You can't help but respect a personality like that.

Rest in Peace, dude...wish I got to jump with you more.

Great story man. Thanx for sharing!

This is just a short video about Pete's life. Doesn't come close to showing the full depth of his personality, but I hope some of you can watch it and enjoy remembering the fun and adventures we all had with him.

http://www.vimeo.com/29101987

Great edit buddy, Pete was a freaking awesome dude. We miss ya on the east coast dude, when are you gonna come home to visit!? I did a really cool early morning jump with Pete in the valley this year. We were the only jumpers on the way up that early and two other bikers. We got to high nose and just sat and talked about life for bout a half hour and enjoyed the moment and the breath taking view. Pete loved life man, every inch of it good bad and ugly and grand. It didn't matter what was going on, he just brought a good feeling vibe everywhere he went. I am super stoked to have known him and I wish I could have spent more times with him. Friends like him are few and far between. We'll miss ya Pete! Fly free buddy!

 

The few interactions we had were good and he was super nice. He offered me my first jump from a 200 ft. freestander nearby.

It's obvious he lived life on his own terms.
I'll definitely be making some jumps in his honor.


Fly free Pete.

Earlier this year, before I made my first jump, I started a thread asking about PC size and trying to understand the pros and cons. Pete sent me a PM that was several paragraphs long telling me his experience and trying to get me to understand how wind reacts on the PC in about every type of PC, throw, and wind speed. And without even knowing me, he told me to look him up if I was in town to go jump. I was super impressed with him.

His signature says, "Life I love you. All is Groovy........."

I really wish I could have jumped with him.

I miss you.. you crazy SOB.. I need to jump into that nasty ass sit suit again... just to bring back old memories... I will miss you so much come Oct 15.. BD DEFINITELY wont be the same without you... I will always remember you... On every jump... you will be in the plane with us, or at the exit point... You were gonna make one hell of a mentor for me.. I already learned so much before the jumping started... It was almost one year ago since I impersonated you for Halloween.. the Look-a-like jump that followed was one of my favorite of all time.. Blue Skies Pete..

Pete was a nice addition to the cavebase trip I was on. He mystified me with his pseudonym when he "friended" me on FaceBook but I was glad to be in touch just the same.

jon

Opened up a new tower for Pete tonight. I know he would have loved it, nice 300 foot longline with a wide open nice mowed landing area, in a place with very little traffic, back half of the fence missing, and not a single no tresspassing sign in sight. Very choice! I just wish I could have shared it with you tonight buddy!

Pete is by far one of the most interesting people that I've ever met. He had so many traits that I want in myself. Miss you Pete.

avenfoto is the shit! thanks for the man, im saving that in the files.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent lifting mind I have trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
- Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

one time pete, Jdubs, and I were on an tower....there must have been 50+ buzzards going apeshit and flying around us. As we were scrambling across the structure trying not to fall while getting to the exit point...there was a bird that was hovering in place right beside the tower. Pete saw the bird and reached out and pet the buzzard on its back while it was in midhover. It was a pretty cool sight..and pete was ecstatic!

Pete was the first one off that object that night as we were opening it up :-)

I first met Pete in a shopping center parking lot. Knowing only to meet in a parking lot and no other details, I sat and watched people. I saw "some guy" get out of his car and I knew right then ,that's a BASE jumper, must be this Pete guy, haha. Great times from then on man....... Miss Ya Pete

I feel blessed to have met the whole crew associated with Pete. It was like watching a shooting star of kindness and adventure. Love all of you.

I love you man. i miss you daily. I can't bring myself to erase pete's # out of my cell. I've tried I just can't bring myself to do it

fly forever buddy! thinking about you!

Out raging this weekend. Get to the jump location, look up at the stars and think "Pete would love the run were about to start", wonder what time it is and look at my clock 4:20am........ get ready for the first jump, say to myself, "Pete, this ones for you", turn on the Go Pro and it says 4 20. Im sure Pete was enjoying the good times with us.

Miss ya Pete, def thinking of ya as the good times continue.

The first day morning I went to a high nose. I forgot where the path down. I waited for people who show a path to a high nose. He was the first who met on the road. He showed me how to get to the exit. We jumped. Then the parachute folded in my hotel in my room. Then when he left home to Russia learned that Pete had died a few days. It is a pity! ((

Gone but not forgotten!!

miss you dude

Pete's Mom & Uncle were at the Visitor's Center
in Twin Falls, meeting his friends, handing out
commemorative t-shirts, etc. I wore mine on
September 3rd flying home and felt lucky...

I told her, "Pete was likely the only BASE jumper
that not one person ever said anything bad about
because he was always so nice to everyone."

She smiled, hugged me, and we both got misty.