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Imagine you’re happily hanging around at 10,000 feet when someone’s boot connects with your skull and the lights go out. Most of us complain about tripping over a rug, but Holly Wiffen survived dropping from the clouds while taking a nap. Sleeping on the job usually just gets you fired, but for her, it meant a fractured spine and a viral video. Here’s how she survived.
A Mid-Air Nightmare
Holly Wiffen wasn’t some rookie making a careless mistake. She was a veteran jumper who had enjoyed 425 previous jumps without incident. On this particular Friday, she jumped from 12,000 feet alongside other skydivers. At 10,000 feet, another jumper accidentally kicked her in the head at around 100 mph, knocking her out cold.
Plummeting Unconscious
This was a truly terrifying skydiver crash. While unconscious, Holly was in a completely uncontrolled descent. Under normal circumstances, a skydiver will free-fall for 40 to 85 seconds and reach blistering speeds between 110 and 130 mph. Usually, this is the part of the jump where you’re supposed to enjoy the view and prepare for deployment. Holly was falling at 150 mph while unconscious.
The Dangerous Downplane
Because one major malfunction wasn’t enough drama for a single day, physics threw a curveball. She doesn’t remember doing it, but Holly managed to activate her parachute just seconds before impact. However, because she was so close to the ground, her backup deployed automatically.
Two parachutes in close proximity do not tend to play nicely. Instead of working together, her main and reserve chutes pulled away from each other, increasing her speed to between 40 and 50 mph in a dangerous downplane.
Crashing Through the Canopy
Holly slammed into a conifer tree. Fortunately, it turned out to be a fantastic lifesaver. The tree acted as a giant, scratchy net, breaking her 10,000-foot fall and preventing her from hitting solid ground, which would have resulted in almost certain death.
Holly’s unconscious or semi-conscious state may have helped, too. Instead of being consumed by fear and bracing for impact, her body was limp and able to absorb the force of the impact more evenly. She woke up with fractures to her spine and leg, but was, miraculously, alive.
Why Daredevils Crave the Rush
Despite almost dying, Holly is already planning her next jump. For most people, this is a clear sign from the universe to stay away from planes and stick to competitive knitting. For her, it was just another day.
There’s a reason thrill-seekers return to the sky. An adrenaline rush can fuel personal growth and happiness while building mental resilience. Skydiving is among the most popular ways to induce an adrenaline rush.
While freak accidents happen, skydiving is actually quite safe. In 2025, United States Parachute Association members carried out 3.47 million skydives with only 16 civilian fatalities. For reference, that’s a 0.0005% fatality rate.
The Unbreakable Skydiver
Holly Wiffen survived something almost impossible. She was knocked unconscious, went through a 10,000-foot fall with malfunctioning parachutes and crashed through a tree at highway speeds. Yet her indomitable spirit shines through, and her skydiver crash has not put her off returning to the skies. If you ever feel like you’re having an unlucky day, just remember, at least you’ve got two feet firmly on the ground.
