Tributes pour in after skydivers killed in mid-air collision as friend reveals devastating tradition she did before every jump
Two skydivers who died following a mid-air collision in Southern California have been remembered by friends, with one revealing a personal ritual that became part of their pre-jump routine.
Levi Pimentel, 29, from Illinois, and Georgia Jean, 56, from South Dakota, were taking part in a skydiving event at Skydive Elsinore near Lake Elsinore on Friday, November 6.
Both were taken to the hospital with critical injuries and later died, according to Lt. Deirdre Vickers of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
In a Facebook tribute, friend Andy Riggs remembered Pimentel as an instructor and coach.
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Riggs also described a ritual Pimentel had adopted on the plane before each jump: after the group exchanged high-fives and fist bumps, Pimentel would boop each person's nose.
Riggs wrote that the gesture brought a smile just before the group took part in what he described as a risky activity. He ended the tribute with the words, ‘here’s one more boop for you.’
Riggs said he had last seen Pimentel in Texas in September, and recalled completing many of his more than 900 skydives alongside the instructor, particularly during the early years of their involvement in the sport.
What happened in the Southern California skydiving collision?
Skydive Elsinore said the two licensed skydivers were visiting from out of town for an event at the facility. The company said eyewitness accounts indicated the freefall had been normal and both parachutes opened at the expected altitude.
The collision happened as the pair descended beneath their open parachutes, at around 150 feet above the ground. Their parachutes became tangled, and both sustained critical injuries when they landed, the facility said.
The company added that there was no indication the equipment had malfunctioned.
In a statement, it said it was grieving with the families, friends and others affected by the deaths.
Skydive Elsinore, which is located approximately one hour away from both San Diego and Los Angeles metropolitan areas, said there was no indication that the women's equipment had malfunctioned.
"On Friday, November 6th, two licensed skydivers were fatally injured after colliding with one another while descending under open parachutes at Skydive Elsinore," the establishment said.
"Eyewitnesses report that the freefall portion of the jump was normal and uneventful, and that both skydivers opened their parachutes at the expected altitude."
They stated that the skydivers 'collided at approximately 150 feet above the ground,' as they prepared to land.
"The collision caused their parachutes to become entangled, and both sustained critical injuries when they reached the ground.
"Skydive Elsinore extends its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of both skydivers, and is grieving alongside all those affected."
Who were Georgia Jean and Levi Pimentel?
Jean had written about the challenges she faced when she began skydiving. In a 2015 blog post, she recalled failing the first level of training three times and being told by an instructor that she ‘just can’t skydive’, according to the New York Post.
She wrote about overcoming limitations she feared might prevent her from continuing, including the worry that she could become a ‘deathwish time bomb’.
Jean later competed in the sport and won a bronze medal at a mixed formation skydiving event in 2024.
Pimentel worked at an iFLY indoor skydiving facility in Illinois. According to Pimentel's LinkedIn profile, they joined the company as a flight instructor in 2018 and became a lead trainer in 2022.
The role included coaching and developing instructors, as well as supporting staff at other locations.
In the tribute, Riggs recalled Pimentel's encouragement and friendliness, describing the instructor's energy as infectious. He also offered prayers for Pimentel, Jean and the skydiving community.
Topics: California
Thomas Bamford
