Skydiver remembered after death in California wingsuit competition
A skydiver killed while competing in southern California on Monday is being remembered as a caring and humble person who was in the “prime of his life.”
Aime-Jean St. Hilaire-Adam, 27, died Monday afternoon in Perris, Calif. Authorities said he fell onto the roof of a home and was pronounced dead at the scene.
St. Hilaire-Adam, who had lived in Calgary in recent years, was originally from Ripon, Que.
John Swallow, who was also in Perris to compete in the Wide Open Wingsuit Series, said the shocking incident occurred during the second last race of the competition.
He described St. Hilaire-Adam as a strong competitor who was climbing the ranks of wingsuiting in Canada.
“He was definitely going to be a force to be reckoned with nationally and internationally, for sure, over the coming years, just by the pace of his progression,” said Swallow.
Swallow, who had known the 27-year-old for about the past year, said St. Hilaire-Adam was a genuine person who “had a huge heart.”
“He’d talk to you and you just knew you had his full attention,” he said. “He was a real caring individual.”
He was also proud of his Quebecois heritage, and worked amid often harsh weather conditions as a power line technician, most recently in northern Manitoba.
A spokesman for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration confirmed Wednesday it will investigate the incident.
“When accidents involve solo skydivers, our investigation is typically limited to looking into whether the parachute was properly packed by the appropriate person,” spokesman Ian Gregor said in an email.
Swallow said from what he has heard from others in the competition, St. Hilaire-Adam collided with another skydiver at high speed before falling onto the roof.
“He was such a strong individual, solid guy,” said Swallow. “You just thought, OK, he can survive anything, this fella.”
The mayor of Ripon, Luc Desjardins, said the young man’s death was on everyone’s mind in the community of about 1,500.
Desjardins’ daughter went to school with St. Hilaire-Adam.
“He travelled a lot, he liked extreme activities, he was a good kid,” Desjardins said, referring to what his daughter told him. “It’s not easy to see or hear. I’m sure his parents are devastated. It’s very difficult.”