SUFFOLK, Va. — Navigating a sighted world as a blind person isn't always easy, but two Hampton Roads residents won't let anything get in their way. Shannon Britt and Jennifer Blinsmon are two of the roughly one million Americans who have blindness — that number from the CDC — but they're trying something many sighted people feel nervous to try. They're skydiving.
The day started with a few laughs.
"And I get to drive right?" Tidewater Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia (NFBV) member Shannon Britt asked an instructor at Skydive Suffolk Saturday.
"Absolutely. And I'm going to close my eyes too," laughed the instructor.
Next, they heard detailed instructions.
"Alright, so at about 13,000 feet the door's going to open up. You'll know the door's opening up because you'll feel the wind on your face," another Skydive Suffolk instructor explained to Tidewater Chapter of the NFBV member Jennifer Blinsmon.
Britt and Blinsmon have been planning to jump from a plane for a long time.
"It's been a dream to do this forever," said Britt.
"This is something not a lot of people think to do. So we're going to do it," added Blinsmon.
Neither said they were nervous.
Britt's guide dog Udele and other members of the Tidewater Chapter of the NFBV of Virginia cheered them on.
The jump comes just after the two friends' September birthdays and during Blind Equality Achievement Month (BEAM). BEAM's where folks spread awareness of stigmas and barriers and showcase examples where everyone can pursue a full measure of happiness.
It's clear the jump was a happy one as both jumpers detailed the experience.
"When you first drop out of the plane, you're breathless. Then you get this weightless free-fall. I can't even explain it," said Britt.
"I'm shocked I actually did it. It was a lot of fun," added Blinsmon.
Because blindness is a spectrum, each person's experience of blindness is unique.
"Everything's pretty much shadow and light," said Britt of her blindness.
She caught a glimpse of the world on the way down.
"I saw some reflection. [The instructor] said there were some lakes or bodies of water that could have been the reflections," Britt said.
Still, Skydiving was an experience for every sense.
"What I really just felt mostly was the wind. The wind rushing," said Blinsmon.
After a safe landing, they both said they'd love to skydive again.
The jump had originally been scheduled for White Cane Awareness Day on October 15 but was pushed back due to weather. That day, this year proclaimed by Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, is significant because it is meant to showcase the abilities and contributions of those who are blind or have impaired vision.
