On top of the world. Literally.

Nicole Smith Ludvik, an American living in Dubai, has a head for heights, and recently starred in an Emirates ad, literally standing on top of the world. WHEREVER catches up with her, on terra firma.

Having grown up in Cleveland, Georgia, USA in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, having faced multiple lifechanging tragedies, she followed her husband, David, to Dubai to an extraordinary expat life.

Was it a childhood dream to become a stuntwoman and skydiver?

I have always had a flair for the adventurous – hiking, climbing, whitewater rafting, roller coasters, bungee jumping. My dream to skydive started when I was a child. I lived close to an airport, so I saw aeroplanes buzzing around all the time. I remember lying in the grass, watching them fly, and wondering how incredible it would be to jump out of one.

How did you turn the dream into reality?

My late husband gifted me with a tandem skydive for my birthday in 2007. I had only flown in commercial planes at that point, so getting into an aircraft that held about 20 jumpers felt sketchy. I experienced every emotion you can think of at 14,000 feet. Once you’re there, nothing can prepare you for when the aeroplane door opens. I don’t know if I have ever experienced that much fear. “What am I thinking?!” was echoing in my mind then, the instructor started the count “Ready… Set…” We were in freefall before he said, “GO!”

All of my fear disappeared when we stepped out into the blue unknown. The next sixty seconds were the most chaotic, exciting, liberating moments of my life. I was completely present at that moment. I was flying! I was exactly where I wanted to be. It was bliss! I knew immediately that I wanted to pursue this further.

“Standing atop the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest man-made structure, was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced.”

Any key turning points?

I had a successful corporate career before I ever jumped out of an aeroplane. But I have faced some extreme tragedies, and those made me re-evaluate everything.

On January 29, 2010, my husband passed away suddenly, making me a widow at 25. I spent the next year of my life trying to make sense of my circumstances, trying to re-acclimatise my life, and trying to find peace. After a year of soul searching, I decided I was ready to learn how to skydive. I signed up for an Accelerated Freefall class (AFF) at my local drop zone. My instructors were Jeremy Marston and Miki Baranowski. Fast forward to June 2011. I was a newly licensed skydiver in love with the freedom and peace of flying. On the afternoon of June 13, 2011, Jeremy and I were driving home after a picnic in the park. We were a mile from his

place when another driver ran a red light and collided with us. The impact was directly on the driver’s side door, and Jeremy was driving. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it.

I was left in critical condition and was airlifted to a trauma hospital in Atlanta. I sustained a broken neck, back, tailbone, punctured lung, two broken ribs, four pelvic fractures, and two brain injuries. The doctors prepared my family for the worst. The physicians suspected injuries would affect my ability to communicate and that it would be next to impossible for me to walk without some assistance.

The accident changed the entire trajectory of my life. I came face-to-face with my mortality in my mid-20’s. The ambition of saving and investing, preparing for early retirement, nearly came to a screeching halt. I realised that I was not living my life in the present. Instead, I was pushing ‘living’ to retirement. As I write this, I realise even more how ludicrous this is. I assumed that I would have the time and the health to do everything I was putting off. The accident made life clearer. I realised that no one is guaranteed a second on this planet. I promised myself that I wouldn’t waste time on things that didn’t serve me or bring me joy.

After nearly a year of gruelling physical therapy, I made a full recovery, quit my corporate job, and decided to pursue the life I wanted as a professional skydiver. In August 2012, I became the youngest person to skydive in all 50 United States. Since then, I have travelled the world, skydiving in some of the most spectacular places.

Any mentors or people who pointed you in the right direction?

My parents, foremost! My husband is my most cherished mentor and source of inspiration in skydiving and stunts.

I am so fortunate to be surrounded by incredible mentors such as Natasha Hatherall-Shawe, founder and CEO TishTash; Alay Gayton, co-founder and CEO of Prime Productions AMG; Faris Mesmar, CEO and managing partner, hatch & boost, and; Melanie Curtis, best-selling author, life coach, and skydiving legend. These men and women are a driving force in my success and are a wealth of inspiration and joy!

How did that idea for you to get involved with the ad come up?

Initially, Emirates put out a casting call to their flight attendants. But, after careful consideration, they reached out to Prime Productions, a film production and stunt management company we had worked with before.

How did you get your head around the idea of that height?

The first time at the top of the Burj was an interesting emotional experience. It honestly took me a couple of minutes to get comfortable. I have made thousands of jumps and have spent countless hours at that altitude, so it’s a familiar landscape, but the difference is when I skydive, I am in an aircraft wearing a parachute.

Getting myself into the right headspace took deliberate action. When I started feeling fear, I didn’t fight it, or feel bad. Instead, I gently acknowledged the emotion and the anxiety. I brought grace and gratitude into that moment of discomfort. ‘Why am I feeling the way I am?’ The space is unfamiliar. ‘Does it serve me?’ No. ‘Am I in danger?’ No. The fear disappeared in a matter of moments.

At face value, the stunt looks dangerous. The fact is, an immense amount of planning was involved that included detailed risk assessments, flight planning, simulations, and a brilliant level of choreography between pilots, drone operators, film crew, ground crew, safety crew, ATC, and GCAA. I trusted the process. I trusted my crew.

Any words of wisdom for future ‘daredevils’?

Persevere. No matter how difficult the road may be, keep moving forward. The progress can be as slow as it needs to be, so long as you keep moving forward.

And face your fears. One of my favourite quotes is from actor Will Smith who said: “Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear”.

How is life in Dubai?

I loved living in Dubai. It’s a safe, vibrant, everchanging city; there’s always something fun to do, the food scene is incredibly diverse, and it’s a gateway to the rest of the world.

With so many expats living there, does it feel like a home for all?

I believe home is wherever you make it.

What’s next?

We have several exciting projects in the works right now that I’ll announce soon.

Follow Nicole’s adventures @nicolesmithludvik

“The accident made life clearer. I realised that no-one is guaranteed a second on this planet.”