Pat McGowan was one of those rare individuals who not only excelled in the sport that he loved, but more importantly, he excelled in life. When the word came to us that Pat had been killed in a skydiving accident, the Perris Valley drop zone and skydiving community was frozen in disbelief. Friend and fellow instructor Christopher David Stasky also died as a result of their low level collision last Thursday, March 31st.
When you first visited the Perris Valley drop zone it wasn't long before you heard one of two names; drop zone manager Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld or Pat McGowan. When our daughter, Kimberly, walked into the office at Perris for her first class towards her AFF Certification, she didn't have any idea who he was. It didn't take long for her to realize, however, that this was someone who not only taught students about skydiving, but also about life. Pat was the master of taking the experience of skydiving and applying it to our every day lives. His passion for his sport was only exceeded by his passion for his life as a husband and a father. As an instructor, many would use "TMI" to describe Pat's method of teaching..."Too Much Information." He worked extremely hard and did his best to make sure his students were prepared to "save their own lives." He had done it in his life over 17,000 times! Pat was all about safety in every aspect of the sport and always stood his ground, even if it meant causing a stir or bucking the system. As Kim's parents we WELCOMED this method of instruction, and also enjoyed the life lessons that he would share with her almost every time they were together. Pat McGowan lived each day to the fullest; his life accounts were current. It is hard to put into words what his loss means to all who knew him...it is nearly impossible to think about his wife, Blue, and their children, Rose (8) and James (5). Pat touched thousands of lives in his 42 years on this earth. Many of us will continue to feel that touch for as long as we are here. "Blue Skies, Pat."
A memorial fund has been set up for Pat''s family. Should you wish to make a donation, please make your check payable to: Blue McGowan-Skydive Perris c/o Manifest-Pat McGowan Memorial Fund 2091 Goetz Road Perris, Ca. 92570
 |
| Pat was an animated teacher and made each class a lot of fun as well as being informative. |
 |
| No stoned was left unturned when it came to safety. |
 |
| ....Pat had a sense of humor, too. |
 |
| Pat's ability to take skydiving and apply it to every day life was masterful. |
 |
| ...think he'd done this a few times? Like over 17,000 times!! |
 |
| Kimberly celebrates her first wind tunnel experience with Pat. You would have thought it was his first time also! |
 |
| How many first jumps did he make with students? No one really knows for sure. |
 |
| Did we mention he was animated? Debriefing after a jump was always fun with Pat. |
 |
| One of our favorite pictures...Pat, Kimberly and drop zone manager Dan B-C. Kim was on her way to getting her "A" license when the boys stopped her for a photo opp. |
 |
| PATRICK JAMES McGOWAN As another friend who also left us much to early once said: "Not here for a long time...here for a good time." Husband Father Friend Coach Instructor "Blue Skies" |
No comments:
Post a Comment