BUTLER, Mo. (AP) — Russ Elliot, 40, of Kansas City, Kan., whose wife Ginger is the former Ginger Barnett of Humboldt, died Saturday while taking part in a skydiving event in Butler, Mo.
Elliot died while practicing a stunt with three other skydivers. Their parachutes became entangled and Elliot was unable to open his reserve chute.
The other divers’ parachutes opened and they were not hurt.
The Kansas City Star reported that Elliott was a coach, tandem master and aerial videographer with Missouri Valley Skydivers.
Elliott was currently working to form a team to compete in aerial formations at the national or world level.
He was a veteran jumper and instructor with more than 1,300 jumps.
He previously worked in the auto industry, had learned to scuba dive as a youth and also loved hunting with his father.
He began skydiving 15years ago, he and a friend decided to try skydiving.
“He took that first step out of the plane door and that was it,” Ginger Elliott told the Star. “He was hooked.”
Ginger Elliot is pregnant with the couple’s first child.
“There’s so few people in life that can find something that they’re passionate about and get the chance to do it,” she told the Star. “He did.”
Ginger Elliot is the daughter of Larry Barnett of Humboldt.
Skydiver with Humboldt ties dies in accident
