Army Parachutist Dies From Injuries After Air And Water Show Stunt
By Rachel Cromidas in News on Aug 17, 2015 2:45PM
A U.S. Army parachutist suffered fatal injuries following a mid-air collision and fall at the city's Air and Water Show Saturday. Corey Hood, 32, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was pronounced dead Sunday afternoon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to the county medical examiner.
Hood, a member of the U.S. Army's Golden Knights demonstration team, was performing a parachuting stunt during the city's annual event along Lake Michigan Saturday when he collided in midair with a member of the Navy's skydiving team.
The collision took place while the Army Golden Knights and the Navy Leap Frogs were performing a stunt known as a "bomb burst" Saturday, during which Hood was knocked unconscious. Unable to maneuver, Hood's parachute was carried away from its landing site as it fell through the sky, and Hood hit the roof of a nearby high-rise building, a witness told the Tribune. The Navy parachutist was treated for a broken leg after he landed on the beach.
Hood had served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and earned two Bronze Stars, among other awards, for heroic or meritorious service, according to the Tribune. He also had over 200 free fall jumps and 75 military static line jumps (a type of jump involving a parachute) under his belt.
In a statement Sunday afternoon, Mayor Rahm Emanuel expressed sadness over the untimely death and said Hood was "An American hero."
"Our thoughts are with his family, friends and the entire Golden Knights community," he said.
The teams did not perform again during the two-day show, which draws millions to the coast of Lake Michigan to watch various team perform aerial stunts over the lake.
The Golden Knights have returned to their Fort Bragg base, where they will have access to counseling, according to officials. The Army is investigating Hood's death. He is survived by his wife, Lyndsay.
Hood gave this video interview in November, 2014, in which he describes the arduous process of becoming a Golden Knight.