Deanna Kent
Chi-Lei
I am feeling very out of the loop here, I am an American stationed in
Italy and just noticed the postings regarding Deanna Kent. I have
only seen the few condolence postings but would like to know more
information. If anyone has more info I would appreciate anything.
Thanks
SkyJulia
<< Subject: Deanna Kent
From: sky...@telenia.it (Chi-Lei)
Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 05:19:35 GMT
Message-ID: <33891cf5...@news.telenia.it>
A brief snippet of Deanna's story is covered in Germany's Blue Sky
Magazine and USA's Skydiving Magazine.
Hopefully soon, other projects will share the expansiveness of her
influence on those she knew and those who knew her, either personally or
through the art and expression which she so freely and courageously
shared.
If you have any comments to add or questions to ask, feel free to e-mail
me, a friend of the Kents . . . .
I re-post for you, an earlier posting from me regarding Skydancer, Deanna
Kent.
<< On April 20, 1997, as the sun set and the moon rose over the beach she
so loved, Skydancer Deanna Kent, at rest on her deck, surrounded by love
and family, entered a new realm with her soaring spirit. Accompanied by
the presence and embrace of her husband Norman, son Ramsey and friends
Mike Michigan and Mag Hughbregs, Deanna Kent died at 7:50 p.m.
Many of us have received our inspiration from the artistry and imagery of
Norman and Deanna Kent. Individually and together, they are unparalleled
for their pioneering and continuing vision. After a particularly difficult
brush with the symptoms of a newly diagnosed disease which found Deanna in
a coma and on heart and lung life support, the most photographed woman in
skydiving challenged the senses of the doctors who cared for her, returned
to share her vibrancy with her family and friends and vowed with the above
message that she “will fly again”. Her life and messages were intense,
with the presence of an energy which affected all who knew her. Even in
the acceptance of her illness and preparation for death, Deanna Kent
showed a unique and graceful strength and depth. In the fall of 1996, the
Kent’s discovered that Deanna suffered from an extremely rare, rapidly
progressing, fatal illness called CREST Syndrome. (Calcinosis, Raynaud’s
phenomenon, Esophageal dysfunction, Sclerodactyly, Telangiectasia).
Just 40 years old at the time of her death, pretty little Deanna, who
stood only 5’3” in height and was as light as 100 pounds, had over 5,000
jumps in her 22 years of skydiving, including those early in her career
when she served in the Mexican Air Force as a Lieutenant, making
exhibition jumps for and at the request of then Mexican President
Echeverria. A member of the 64 and 100 women largest formation world
record jumps, she is known worldwide for her stunt work in television and
feature films including Terminal Velocity, National Geographic, Sports
Illustrated, Bay Watch and several Japanese television shows, commercials
and vignettes.
Filmed and produced by Norman Kent, in “From Wings Came Flight”, together
with her body flight partner Mike Michigan Sandberg, Deanna stunned the
world with her explosive and passionate introduction of the no limits
flying of skydancing; it is for being the “mother of freestyle” that
Deanna is best known in the skydiving community.
Her images will endure forever because of her pure energy spirit and she
and Norman Kent's shared vision and artistry. Skydancing became known as
freestyle and revealed a wholly new horizon for discovery = "no limits"
body flight and “expression”. It is not only Freestyle that happened, the
main contribution through the creation of Freestyle was the open door to
the 'no limit' scenario, from there: Freestyle and Competition, Skysurfing
and Competition, Freeflying and Competition . . . . a new attitude was
born, the rest is history.
Family, friends and fans will gather for a memorial skydive and reflection
on the life, graces and legacy of Deanna. A life celebration will be held
at the Kent residence in Palm Coast, Florida on June 20, 1997, for more
information, email the author of this post. You are all welcome to join us
in presence and/or spirit!
On behalf of the Kent family, many, many thanks for the condolences
already sent, and for those would would like to correspond, you may mail
to:
Norman and Ramsey Kent
Norman Kent Productions
P. O. Box 1749
Palm Coast, FL 32136
Fax: 904-446-0602
Skydancer, Deanna Kent, flies again. H. W. Longfellow wrote “Time is
fleeting, art is long”. Though her time with us was brief, her artistic
and spiritual legacy are everlasting. >>
Blue skies, bright days!
Julia Murphy