A Texas teenager was reportedly in stable condition on Tuesday, after a long-awaited skydive nearly took her life.
16-year-old Makenzie Wethington of Joshua had high hopes for her first-ever jump. The teen reportedly got the rare chance to go skydiving, which is technically illegal for Texas citizens under 18 years old.
But knowing how badly Makenzie wanted to experience skydiving, her father decided to drive her to a diving site in Chickasha, Okla., where 16-year-olds can jump legally.
Makenzie and her father made the leap together, according to a report by FOX's local station in Oklahoma City. The dad went first, and landed on the ground with no injuries. But when Makenzie jumped into the open air, her parachute didn't deploy properly.
Details on the failed deployment are hazy, but it seems the parachute was supposed to automatically open by way of a static line hooked onto the plane. Although advisors on board the plane tried to give her instructions to open the parachute, Makenzie didn't respond. Instructors wagered she'd blacked out, FOX reported.
Makenzie plunged into the ground, breaking several bones, but survived the fall. She was immediately transferred to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City, where she received treatment for her wounds.
According to Pegasus Air Sport, the company that hosted Makenzie's jump, her ordeal was a rare one. Officials from Air Sport told FOX that the family went through almost six hours of instruction and training before getting on the plane.
