August 5th, 2025
Never in my life would I have thought I would ever willingly jump out of a completely good plane. But thanks to the Slide team – a very unexpected birthday gift – I found myself 14,500 feet in the air, strapped to a complete stranger, getting ready to skydive.
Michael Muth is known for building genuine relationships across team members, always going above and beyond, and this gift reflects that perfectly. I'm Gracie Richter, the lucky lady who gets the pleasure of working with him daily on the marketing side of things with my crew at Belniak Media. And this experience? It wasn’t just incredible, but life changing. It was more than just a gift, but about trust, growth and pushing one’s limits. Nothing says “happy birthday” quite like hurling yourself out of an aircraft door thousands of feet above the earth.
Fine Printed Fear
For someone who fears flying in airplanes and not exactly fond of heights, this was a massive leap – literally and figuratively. Among all the horror stories I’ve come across online, I knew it would be a risk to partake in such an extreme sport. Signing all the waivers was a challenge when the word “death” was such a recurring part, it may as well have been bolded. I was nervous and hesitant as I dived into all the horrible possibilities, but I showed up anyway.
Lift-Off
Upon arrival, I pulled up to see a conglomerate of colorful parachutes, whooshing in the wind, falling like confetti and peacefully plummeting (which was oddly reassuring). The small vessel I would soon enter screamed with power from afar, eager to take people into the sky. I saw all the smiles descending above me and I grasped that what I was getting into was going to be awakening, fun, mind altering and I was going to be okay. I was right.
The wait seemed like eternity, like time was mocking me as I felt the anticipation begin to build. When it was finally my turn, my tandem instructor greeted me with a large grin and asked how I was feeling. I was more than excited – I was about to do something so incredibly crazy. The instructor had me step into a heavy harness where I was then strapped to a snug fit. I watched the plane come down from its last round of divers, and it whipped around for its next group – which included me.
The Jump
I hunched down and entered the tiny tin can of a plane, heart pounding. As the aircraft took off, I gleamed out of the window looking upon the world. It looked exactly like the plane rides I've taken before, but this time, I was leaping out of it midair.
When reaching 10,000 feet, I started to lose track of the ground. When I saw us in the deep blue sky, way above the clouds, I began to feel apprehensive. At a swift pace, my instructor fastened all my attachment points, so we were extremely close together.
Once we reached 14,500 feet, a bright LED light next to the opening we would soon exit out of, flashed green. The side of the craft opened up to look over the clouds. I watched the helmets surrounding me turn to each other with smiles, high-fiving knowing that it was time to go. I scooted my body down the cold metal plane bench towards the outlet and crouched to prepare for exiting the plane. All I could hear at this point was my own racing thoughts and the deafening propeller, which was so close I could touch it. I muttered out an “oh fuck” before realizing, there was no turning back.
One. Two. AND GO... I gripped my harness straps for dear life, squatted and plunged myself into the air. Both of us nosedived straight into the earth. The air hit like a wall and immediately took control of our bodies, pushing against us as we dove at a high speed, straight down. The first parachute deployed about 15 seconds into the jump to slow us down. I was so scared to let go, but after a few taps on the arm, I reached my arms out as I floated through the air. I fell for a couple minutes, looking at the breathtaking views and taking in how beautiful the earth is.
I still was in disbelief, the intensity, speed and insanity of falling out of a plane never left during the whole adventure. I enjoyed every second, having faith in the man I was strapped to. I gracefully dropped through a cloud and began to feel everything slow down.
Parachute Fun
Two bright yellow handles landed next to me, and I was encouraged to grab them. I thought, Me? Steering? These would help lead the parachute any way I wanted to go. My grin got bigger when I knew I could have control. I looked everywhere and felt on top of the world, seeing the ground as squares as my limbs hung over.
I directed the parachute to go around and around; it felt like an amusement ride on steroids. I spent the last minutes floating peacefully at (what I sensed) a slow pace before touching the ground. I was told to throw my legs up and we soon descended to gently reach grass.
Aftermath
I stood up and my entire body was flooded with vibration from the intense speed, adrenaline and excitement over what I had just endured. Those physical feelings lingered for days and days, I just couldn’t get over what I had done. It was truly a life changing adventure.
I hope it inspires you to do something crazy, because you truly only live once. Having the mindset to just go for it, can bring new exciting experiences you will have forever. It is so important to challenge the mind and know that fear is just a feeling. And facing those feelings is a powerful boss move.
Unforgettable Gift
I’m forever grateful that the Slide management team and Michael Muth brought this wild idea to life. Not only do they make solutions for molders – they show up for their people. They believe in pushing boundaries, doing things differently and celebrating with meaning. This is something I would have never volunteered to do myself. But they believed I could do it and now I do too.
The amount of joy this reckless endeavor brought me is immeasurable and unforgettable. It is something I wouldn’t have brought myself to do without them – and this kind of support is rare. It taught me that the wildest experiences are the ones which shape you the most. I sensed the feelings of being powerful, present and a whole new perspective I will carry forever.
-Gracie Richter, Marketing Specialist / Content Developer
Michael Muth reflects on the experience: "Gracie is a total badass for wanting to do this. I simply don’t have the gumption to take such a leap. As my father-in-law (he was a private pilot) used to say, 'Why would anyone jump out of a perfectly good airplane?' Congrats on accomplishing a bucket list item, Gracie. You’re such an important part of the Belniak Media team that has helped Slide tremendously. I’m happy and honored that we could support you with this jump."
