Mont Blanc, par exemple

Photos by Laurie Edwards

Former President Donald Trump addresses the crowd at a Save America rally in Minden, Nev., Saturday, Oct. 8. Just weeks before the Nov. 8 election, it was a rally in support of Nevada Republican candidates, including Senate candidate Adam Laxalt and Governor candidate Sheriff Joe Lombardo, among others, “to win a historic victory for the Republican party,” Trump said. “We must elect Republicans up and down the ticket ... We have to do it.”

Skydiving Continued from A1

Trump’s jet touches down at the Minden Airport.

As the sun sets in the eastern Sierra, Save America rally attendees wait for Trump to take the stage.

I was parachuting down, it felt like I was in a real-live simulation of Google Earth.”

The Jackson Elementary School thirdgrader is a rollercoaster aficionado, his favorite being the Yukon Striker at Canada’s Wonderland, and several others roll off his tongue. “I’ve loved rollercoasters ever since I was a baby, but I wanted to do something crazier so I went skydiving,” Max explained.

Although the young thrill seeker has braved parasailing, indoor skydiving and wire skydiving, he felt he was ready for more.

Some parents might have balked at such aspirations, but Max’s dad, Chris, was happy to oblige. He explained that one skydiving outfit in the United States takes kids on the parachuting adventure.

“It’s very safe,” he assured of Ultimate Skydiving Adventures in Delta, Colo. “The owner is the only person who is allowed to take kids on a tandem jump and I think he told us he’s done just under 12,000 jumps. He’s very experienced and won national awards so you’re dealing with someone who’s held in incredibly high regard as a professional. We felt pretty comfortable that Max would be fine.”

Chris, who took his first plunge and jumped alongside his son, suspected Max might be the youngest in the Sacramento area. However, when the skydiving company checked its records, the family discovered Max had even bigger bragging rights. “I was a little surprised that he was the youngest in California,” Chris said.

As for Max’s mom and sister, both decided they were more comfortable on the ground. “I have a really healthy fear of heights,” admitted Shawna, Max’s mom. “I’m good at about the second rung on a ladder. I like the ground.”

And 6-year-old Anna found her brother’s escapades a little tedious and would just rather not. “You keep going down and down and down and down and it takes forever,” she shrugged.

The Hook family, Canadian natives, moved to El Dorado Hills in 2019. “We love it,” shared Shawna. “Jackson is such a great school and great community. We love our home and we love being close to Tahoe.”

When Max isn’t air-bound, he is an avid reader and enjoys doing art, science, cooking classes and theater at school. And he always manages to find time to watch “Phineas and Ferb” on weekends.

Max has already scoped out other areas with skydiving companies that allow kids to skydive, such as some as New Zealand and Canada.

As to how he felt upon landing his first skydive? “I kind of just felt like I wanted to do it again,” he said.

Don’t expect young Max to sit still for long. “Next year I’m going base jumping in Moab, Utah.”

And on one particularly important issue, Max was clear. “I like ice cream,” he said. “I don’t have a favorite flavor. I like them all.”

Courtesy photo

El Dorado Hills eight-year-old Max Hook skydives over western Colorado Sept. 24.

County of El Dorado Health and Human Services Agency Adult Protective Services 530-642-4800

Suspected abuse of elders or dependent adults should be reported to your local Adult Protective Services office