AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- Senior Master Sgt. Maurice Muro, Operations Superintendent for the 57th Rescue Squadron, had completed more than 1,100 successful parachute jumps in his Air Force career before taking off for a joint exercise in Spain.
The exercise known as Tormento Del Cielo was nearly done for the day. Three jumps had already gone off without a hitch, and a fourth was underway.
“I deployed my main parachute [at] normal altitude, 4,000 feet,” Muro said. “It opened up fine like it’s supposed to.”
Things took a turn when his main parachute collapsed mid-jump. Muro began to spiral and his lines got tangled. Rather than fight the parachute, he deployed his reserve.
Watching from the ground, Air Force Staff Sgt. Jared Young, an Aircrew Flight Equipment Craftsman with the 57 RQS, said he was wondering what was going on in the air.
“We happened to see someone having a malfunction with their main [parachute],” said Young. “All of a sudden we saw a reserve come out. We were like ‘okay, we’re good.’”
Young was part of the team responsible for packing the parachutes used in the day’s jumps. Once Muro was on the ground, Young said he realized he’d packed the reserve that had been deployed.
“Every time you pack a main you do have a sense of pride because you know that’s your work,” said Young. “But a reserve is a little more special because you know that person had no other choice but to go to their last resort.”
Muro is still unsure what caused the collapse, but said he’s certain the reserve saved his life. He showed his appreciation at the next 57 RQS all call, when he and his family thanked Young for packing the reserve that carried Muro to safety.
“I’m still here talking to you because of their attention to detail and all the effort they put in,” said Muro. “Across the Air Force, riggers hold a special place in my heart.”