A severely disabled man’s dream of doing a skydive is set to finally become reality.
Paralysed Steve Wilkins from South Ham will finally take the 2,500ft plunge following 18 months of trying to raise the money.
Thanks to big-hearted fundraisers, the 47-year-old’s ambition will come true on February 11.
Steve told the Basingstoke Observer that the nerves were starting to kick-in.
“I feel nervous now, very nervous,” he admitted. “I didn’t think I would be, but I am.
“But people should not let disability get in their way. I’ve actually done more now than before the accident. But I never thought I would be able to do it.”
Former fork-lift driver Steve broke his neck in June 2001 after jumping into a shallow paddling pool in Burns Close, Popley.
He needed specialist hospital treatment in Southampton and Salisbury for more than a year.
Steve remains wheelchair-bound with no movement below his chest and cannot fully control his hands.
But despite his disability, Steve said he has found a new lease of life through spinal cord injury charity Back-up Trust, which has organised next month’s jump.
He has been fundraising to collect £800, half of which will go to cover the cost of the tandem jump. The rest will go to the trust.
Steve launched his appeal in October 2010 and reached his target with the help of Basingstoke half marathon runners Sam Gourlay, 45, from Buckskin, Jon Milne, 40, from South View, and Jamilia Allinuur, 39.
The trio bagged more than £400 in sponsorship by running in Basingstoke’s first half marathon in October.
Steve will make the 130-mile trip to the Peterborough jump site with mum Barbara, dad Ken, carer Zfuza Katona and daughter Jodi Wilkins from South Ham, who will be diving alongside her dad.
The 21-year-old bookie said: “It’s amazing that I am still able to do stuff with him.
“Before his accident, my dad and I used to do everything together. He used to take me swimming or take me in his Land Rover – silly things like that.
“I was 10 years old when he had his accident and from that point on we could not do so much like that anymore, but it’s good to still be able to do something with him.”
