World's 1st (succ) parachutist (& his trusting wife!). Paris France, parc Monceau

Paris' Parc Monceau has a plaque to the worlds first parachutist. da Vinci may have dreamt it, but Garnerin was 1st to design/test parachutes capable of slowing a fall from up high. Andre had the idea while a war prisoner in Hungary. He wrote (rough translation) "...The love of liberty repeatedly inspired me to think of escape!' No kidding! Freed in 1796 by '97 he was in Paris & completed his first parachute, 23 feet in diameter and attached to a basket. On Oct 22nd, the balloon tethered chute rose to some 600 meters and the tether cut. There was no air-vent so the chute swung wildly (reports of 'air sickness' on the crowd) but Andre safely alit on the earth to a rapturous! Cool Footnote: 2 yrs later his wife, Jeanne Genevieve, became worlds 1st female parachutist!). Paris History! Gotta love it......send any thoughts! cheers D (sorry for odd voicing...took forever to record I was passing out from hunger!)...