Loved ones pay tribute to Douglas Ball after horror skydiving accident

The beloved and widely-respected skydiver lived an incredible life before his tragic death last week, notching up thousands of jumps over 20 years and serving in the army. Read the loving tributes.

Skydiver Douglas Ball. Picture: Facebook.

Emotional tributes from friends and family are flowing for Douglas Ball, the skydiver who tragically perished after a horror landing in North Queensland.

For nephew Harry Auckett, his “Uncle Doug” was like “Superman”.

“He was this wild dude who would rock in after jumping out of a plane,” he said.

“I had a few cousins and every time he came into town, it was just like it was on, he was just the funnest [sic] person you have ever met.

“You were forever laughing whenever he was around.

“He was just awesome.”

Mr Ball, 53, sustained critical injuries at the Laguna Quays dropzone south of Airlie Beach on April 16 just before midday.

Nephew Harry Auckett. Picture: Facebook

He was skydiving with a group of people but skydiving solo.

A RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter crew flew Mr Ball to Mackay Base Hospital for urgent treatment, touching down at MBH about 2.10pm, where he was met by doctors on the helipad.

Mr Ball was flown from the Intensive Care Unit at Mackay Base Hospital to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital at 11.45pm the next day.

He passed away at the hospital five days later on April 22.

On the night he died, Harry met up with a friend of Mr Ball’s and together they remembered him.

“I was almost rolling around the floor laughing at the memories we had,” Harry said.

“It was a wonderful thing to do, sitting in the spot he used to play his guitar.”

Skydiver Douglas Ball. Picture: Facebook

Harry, now 29 and living near the Gold Coast, said the thing he loved most about his Uncle was his spirit of encouragement.

“Uncle Doug, if you talk to just about anyone who has had any interaction with, he has just got to be about the most encouraging (person) that you would ever meet and somebody who would always cheer you on.

“He was never someone who would shut your dreams down.

“I’ve had messages from people that he has known over the years, and they have said, similar to me, he was somebody who would always believe in your dreams, and always believe that you could do it.

“He was an inspiring person.”

A remembrance service is booked for May 7 at the Tupe-Aloha bar, located on Douglas St in Coolangatta.

“We will be drinking a few beers, having a laugh and having a cry and just sharing all those great memories with all of the people that he has touched,” Harry said.

Gold Coast skydiver Archie Jamieson.

Archie Jamieson, the owner of Gold Coast Skydive, employed Mr Ball some 10 years ago and said he was “an awesome guy” to work with.

“A team player, a funny guy, but bloody good at his job,” he said.

“It is a huge loss for the community.”

Mr Jamieson skydived with Mr Ball and said he would always remember his “smiley face” up in the air.

“That is going to be sadly missed throughout the entire sport.”

Another friend of Mr Ball said he was a “bloody awesome human being”.

“It was a gift to know you mate free Fallin Blue sky’s [sic] never ending,” one friend said.

“You mean so much to all of us Douglas Ball. You will be forever in our heart.

“Life already doesn’t feel the same without you.”

Mr Ball was a highly experienced jumper, notching up thousands of skydives over about 20 years.

Skydiver Douglas Ball. Picture: Facebook.

Before his career up in the skies, Mr Ball played college football in the United States and then served as an engineer in the Army.

He is one of six siblings and has a stepson.

“His stepson absolutely adored him,” Harry said.

The Australian Parachute Federation is investigating the incident and CEO Richard McCooey said a four-person team had already begun their work.

“We have got to go through every aspect of everything,” he said.

“We have started the process to go through the last six months of videos of him, a lot of people film themselves, of his own landings, just to see if we can see common threads in there.

“It is painstaking work but you have got to be that thorough.”

Mr McCooey said the equipment would be rechecked in detail.

“We measure every suspension line, every piece of it,” he said.

“Our thinking is, it probably is not equipment failure but we need to rule that out.”

It is expected the investigation will run for about three months.

The APF’s findings will be delivered to the police, who will prepare a report for the coroner.

Mr Ball was an APF member and worked as a tandem instructor with 1300 Skydive Australia, a company with branches across the country, including Airlie Beach Skydivers.

Originally published as Loved ones pay tribute to Douglas Ball after horror skydiving accident