Mayor makes death-defying jump with Golden Knights parachute team

At 8:00 a.m. Historic City News will be watching as St Augustine Mayor Nancy Shaver travels to Miami to participate in an event honoring the United States Army Golden Knights.

But the highlight of this visit will not be to speak to other community officials or educate herself on some essential government program — instead, her honor will be strapping on a parachute and performing a tandem jump with a member of the US Army Parachute Team.

“She told me they called last week to schedule, not really expecting her to accept,” Historic City News editor Michael Gold said. “Obviously they didn’t know our mayor the way I do. I am not at all surprised that Mayor Shaver has decided to make this jump.”

The mayor celebrates her 70th birthday this November, but that will not hinder her from participating in the scheduled program. She will be checked out and given special training before she makes the jump. There is, of course, a certain amount of danger associated with the jump; however, she will be tethered to an experienced airman.

“This is going to be such a fun experience that I cannot wait to take part in!” Shaver told her administrative assistant, Megan Pariseau. Even though Pariseau is less than half the mayor’s age, she says she would not be inclined to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Gold says that he agrees.

Check back for pictures and a follow up on Mayor Shaver’s exciting adventure on her website www.nancyshaver.com and facebook.