This article is part of the [In Your Words] series. These are real stories, written by real people, who have made a tandem skydive at Chicagoland Skydiving Center. Our goal is to shine light on the many reasons people choose to jump out of perfectly good airplanes. Want to share your story? Email us!

My first skydiving experience was meant to help me celebrate a "vacation." But it turned out to be so much more. Skydiving introduced me to a new friend I never expected I'd meet, at the time I needed it most.