Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and reading about a tragic incident that happened at a University of Texas at San Antonio football game, where a military service member died after falling while rappelling from the ceiling to midfield. I mean, can you imagine? The guy was supposed to be part of a pregame demonstration, and it just went horribly wrong. According to Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs, the service member was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. Bless their hearts, I can only imagine how tough this must be for his family and colleagues.
The incident occurred during the annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans game against Navy, and an investigation is underway to determine what led up to the fall. I’m watching the video, and it’s just heartbreaking – the guy was in combat fatigues, quickly descending to the ground feet first, and it’s clear that something went terribly wrong. The fall happened with fans in the stands and a band assembled nearby on the field, and I can only imagine how shocking it must have been for everyone there.
The service member was part of a team of specialists who embed with Army and Marine units and help to direct air and artillery strikes from forward ground locations. Part of their training includes learning to rapidly drop by rope, sometimes from helicopters that are 100 feet or more above the ground. It’s clear that these guys are trained to do some pretty intense stuff, but accidents can still happen.
The game was delayed for about 10 minutes after the incident, and UTSA Coach Jeff Traylor told reporters that the accident was “heartbreaking” and “tragic.” He said the team could see the effect that it had on the crowd of over 23,000 people as soon as players arrived on the field for the game. You could tell the energy was just gone, and it really puts things in perspective.
UTSA offered counseling service contacts for students and said, “We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at the start of tonight’s game. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the soldier who was affected, his family and his military colleagues.” It’s clear that the university is trying to do the right thing here, and I appreciate that.
The man, whose identity was not immediately released, was one of four military service members who were scheduled to participate in the pregame rappelling demonstration. It’s just a reminder that these guys are putting their lives on the line every day, and we should be grateful for their service.
In conclusion, this is just a terrible tragedy, and my heart goes out to the service member’s family and colleagues. It’s a reminder that even in the midst of a fun event like a football game, accidents can happen, and we should always be grateful for the sacrifices that our military personnel make. And on a lighter note, I guess this is one way to get out of doing a halftime show – just rappel in and hope for the best, right?
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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