VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- Two dozen people with spinal cord injuries left wheelchairs firmly on the ground as they floated above it Saturday.
Determined2Heal Foundation sponsored and adventure at iFLY Virginia Beach that allowed quadriplegics and paraplegics to experience what it feels like to skydive.
The participants had a chance to fly within the facility's wind chamber which produces wind speeds of more than 120 miles per hour.
"I was afraid of the wind in my face, but I told myself that I'd been through a little bit worse, so I got it in the bag," said one of the skydivers who was hurt in a car wreck on Christmas Eve 2015.
"Here, we're out of our chair, looking at the world in a different way," said another person who also noted that the activity helped the world see paralysis in a different light.
The group hoped to inspire everyone who is able-bodied or living with a disability to approach challenges in a new way and to understand that success comes down to a person's willingness and desire to create a doable approach followed by the willingness to try.