Above: Boogie participants come together to celebrate friendship and community.

Jumpers take grip on the 50-way formation over Skydive Monkey Head in Tenango, Mexico.

Photos by Norman Kent.

In early September, skydivers from around the world gathered at Skydive Monkey Head, in Tenango, Mexico, for the 50 Friendship Years celebration, a record-breaking event honoring five decades of skydiving and lifelong bonds.

Juan Manuel Saavedra organized the boogie to mark his 50th year in the sport and to celebrate the friendships he’s built along the way. Norman Kent and Larry Henderson also reached their 50-year milestones this year. Coincidentally, Kent and Saavedra began jumping on the same day at the same place, on August 24, 1975, at Tequesquitengo, Mexico.

Friends and organizers Kate and Carsten Cooper-Jensen, Henderson, Fernando Gallegos and Jose Ignacio Alvarez joined Saavedra in hosting the event, which drew skydivers from several countries. The goal was simple yet meaningful: to honor half a century of friendship and skydiving, and, if possible, to set a Mexican Record for Largest Formation Skydive. On the final jump of the event, the group succeeded, building a beautiful 50-way formation. It was an emotional jump, as decades of shared passion came together in one unforgettable moment.

Norman Kent D-8369
Palm Coast, Florida