It's the same man who did something impossible in 2012. He rose with a helium balloon twice as advanced as the fighter ceiling and respective 100 times higher than the average skyscraper—and jumped. During the free fall he exceeded the velocity of sound. For a fewer minutes he was floating alone where only astronauts usually reach. More than 8 million viewers worldwide watched the broadcast. For many he was a symbol of courage. For himself – he was just where he should have been. A stratosphere leap made him an icon. The fact that in Red Bull's design, in a peculiar suit, it fell almost from the 40 km "motorway to heaven" and reached over 1,300 km/h, recorded it permanently in the past of science, athletics and pop culture, due to the fact that the global show conquered its reach. But it wasn't a one-time stunt, or the only evidence in the account.
He wanted to do this since he was a kid.
Ever since he was a kid, he wanted to skydiving and flying a helicopter. He made these dreams come actual thanks to acrobatic shows, jumps from the tallest buildings in the world. He was the first to fly over the canal of La Manche in the carbon wing, until he yet ascended to where you can see the curve of the planet. On his forearm, he had 3 words tattooed: “Born to fly” – born to fly. That password gave him freedom. He was happy to say, "I belong to the air." And erstwhile journalists asked him what truly matters up there, he answered without hesitation: “Believe me, erstwhile you are above everything, you become humble. It's not about the results or the data anymore. All that matters is to go home...’.
Baumgartner has been practicing BASE jumping for years – jumps from bridges, cliffs, skyscrapers. It's 1 of the most dangerous competitors. all item counts: time, wind, distance, body control. There is no margin for error, and he was a model of precision for professionals. Before becoming a professional athlete, he served in the elite parachute unit of the Austrian army. There he learned a field he did not abandon. In time, he began to choose a paraglider – little spectacular but equally demanding. He loved flights based on skill, weather and alertness of the body, unforgivable errors, especially erstwhile physicality fails. He knew their rules better than anyone.
The pictures were peaceful.
In fresh days, he has posted on Instagram flight shots over the Italian coast. Photos showed calm – holidays, views. All the more reason to be amazed to hear he died. A breakdown of strength occurred during a short, recreational flight. The equipment didn't fail. The weather hasn't changed. It was the organism that did not last – in the air, which was its natural environment throughout its life. He left his partner and everyone he spent the summertime with. For fans of utmost sports, his death is simply a immense loss. How fewer people could combine feats with authenticity, records with the human dimension, and a performance with a real sport, inspiring both those who search boundaries and those who simply want to live braver.
