NI pensioner completes 15,000ft skydive in aid of Air Ambulance

A Co Antrim woman has celebrated her 80th birthday by taking part in an adrenaline rushing 15,000ft skydive for charity.

Brenda Russell, from Ballymena, took on the challenge in October to raise funds for Air Ambulance NI. She was free falling for a worthy cause, at approximately 120mph out of a helicopter with a trained professional skydiver with event facilitators Skydive Ireland.

Speaking about her birthday plans, Brenda says she had wanted to do something to mark it in style, so signed up for the Air Ambulance NI skydive - a charity she feels very passionately about.

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"I’ve always wanted to do a skydive, but it was important for me to combine it with a cause that truly matters,” she said.

"Air Ambulance NI provides essential services to those in critical need, and I wanted to do my part to support their life-saving work. I was both terrified and thrilled. The moment I stepped out of the plane was surreal, but I felt an overwhelming sense of purpose. Knowing that my jump could help save lives made it worth every second."

Brenda's exhilarating freefall lasted nearly a minute before she deployed her parachute and glided back to the ground, where a crowd of family and friends, along with local supporters, welcomed her with cheers and applause.

She raised a £2,520 with months of fundraising in advance of the event. Those funds will directly support Air Ambulance NI, which provides critical care and rapid response services across the region.

Katrina Hughes, Area Fundraising Manager for Air Ambulance NI said: "Brenda’s remarkable bravery and dedication are truly inspiring, and it was a joy to welcome Brenda to our air base and celebrate this fantastic achievement, so she could see firsthand the service she is supporting.

"We are incredibly grateful for her support and the awareness she is bringing to our cause. Every donation makes a significant impact on our ability to deliver urgent medical care."

Air Ambulance NI, in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, continues to be a lifeline for communities across the province, offering critical Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) that operates seven days a week, twelve hours a day.

The HEMS team is dedicated to providing urgent medical assistance to anyone in need, regardless of location, with the primary aim of saving lives, preserving neurological function, and preventing limb loss. Equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment and staffed by highly trained professionals, the service delivers emergency pre-hospital care directly to patients who are seriously ill or injured. Operating at a remarkable pace, the aircraft can reach anywhere in Northern Ireland in approximately twenty-five minutes, ensuring rapid response to emergencies.

On average, the medical team is called upon twice daily to respond to a range of incidents, including serious road traffic collisions, farm or workplace accidents, sport and leisure incidents, and medical emergencies. As a local charity, Air Ambulance NI relies on the generosity of the public to maintain and sustain its essential services, aiming to raise £2.5 million annually and relying on public donations, so fundraisers such as Brenda Russell’s skydive are crucial.

If you would like to tick a skydive off your bucket list, register today to take part in a tandem skydive at Skydive Ireland in aid of Air Ambulance NI for just £99. Skydive Ireland host the highest possible skydive in the whole of Ireland, providing you with an exhilarating, confidence-building, huge lifetime achievement. Sign up today through this link.

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