Flying high with Project Airtime

Draper, Utah — The thrill of soaring through the skies above The Point of the Mountain in Draper was only a dream for anyone with physical injuries or special needs. That's before Chris Santacroce created Project Airtime. This non-profit takes anyone paragliding. However Chris specializes in providing the exhilarating experience for special co-pilots. Chris attaches a special wheelchair to his chute and uses Draper's gusty winds to carry his passenger into the sky.

Project Airtime works with organizations like Make-A-Wish and The Wounded Warrior Project. All paragliding rides are free. Chris works entirely on donations and help from the community. That's why we make Project Airtime our Pay It Forward recipient of the week.

The day we visited Project Airtime we met Sam Jolley as he prepared to fly. Sam was a competitive motocross racer until a violent crash in 2003. Sam fought back from the edge of death and spent a year recovering in the hospital. Today, his life in a wheelchair doesn't define him. His philosophy is simple, "I came so close to death, that I pretty much owe it to God to do something great with the rest of my life". When Sam isn't paragliding with Project Airtime he competes in bodybuilding competitions.

You can get in on the action with Project Airtime or on Facebook.