A WOMAN who scattered her husband’s ashes during a skydive has said the experience is one she will never forget.

Tracy Fisher, from Richmond, North Yorkshire, wanted to complete the skydive in memory of husband Duncan - as he was never able to fulfil his ambition to do a parachute jump due to his severe epilepsy.

Mrs Fisher, who completed the skydive on Sunday, August 9 with her son Jamie and five friends in aid of Help for Heroes, said she felt closer to her late husband, who died six months ago, as she fell through the clouds.

The Northern Echo:
MEMORY: Duncan Fisher was a soldier before a brain tumour ended his career

“It felt like being in heaven – the first breath you take as you fall out of the plane is so icy cold and feels as though you are inhaling clouds," she said.

“It was a really emotional day because organising the jump had been occupying me since Duncan’s death in January then all of a sudden it was here.”

Mr Fisher died just two days before a scheduled operation to attempt to control his epilepsy which developed after a brain tumour which was removed in 1999.

The scar tissue left behind is thought to have caused his seizures - which were getting progressively worse and left him unable to work as a scaffolder.

Mr Fisher, pictured below, was a soldier before the tumour ended his career and both he and Mrs Fisher turned to Help for Heroes-run Phoenix House recovery centre in Catterick Garrison for support during his recovery, which drove Mrs Fisher to give back to the charity.

“The skydive was amazing, it's something I'll never forget and I have really got the bug now to do another.

“The staff at Skydive Middleton St George, based at Durham Tees Valley Airport, were fantastic and couldn’t do enough for us.

“I wasn’t allowed to scatter Duncan’s ashes myself because I’m not qualified so an instructor let them go next to me – the sun was behind him and the ashes looked like glitter.”

She said the 12,000 feet jump has spurred her on even more towards her next challenge – a wing walk.

The Northern Echo: MEMORY: Tracy Fisher with her son Jamie who are doing a skydive and raising funds for Phoenix House. Picture: Richard Doughty Photography
TRIBUTE: Tracy Fisher with her son Jamie who also did a skydive to raise funds for Phoenix House. Picture: Richard Doughty Photography

She said: “I’m really up for it now, the skydive was such a fantastic experience and I think a wing walk will be even more so.”

Mrs Fisher has raised almost £4,000 through her and her friends’ Just Giving pages. She said more money is still coming in from collections, and she hopes to exceed £6,000.

To donate visit www.justgiving.com/Tracy-Fisher4