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Well our website played a trick on us and we almost lost it. But we’re treating you with our news today, Halloween. How spooky! Our E-mail Address: If you have tried sending e-mails to us through producers@blindjohnmovie.com, we have corrected the problem. That e-mail address is working again and our website is back live. Thank you for your patience. Thanks a million to Lura Frazey for her ever-present gracious help behind the scenes.

October is recognized as National Disability Month!

What better way is there to celebrate than to send out our updates about the documentary we are making about the late John Fleming, our favorite and legendary blind skydiver! This film promises to be part of changing the culture around how people who are blind, and/or have other disabilities are viewed and integrated into the mainstream of life.

Have you heard?

Flying Blind Productions, LLC got a Regional Arts and Culture Grant (RACC) in October 2018.

Now we’re scheduled to show our work in progress, along with other RACC recipients! Save the Date!
When: Monday December 16, 2019
6:00 PM: Reception
7:00 PM: Film screening and other recipient work showing
Where: Northwest Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium
219 SW Park Ave.
Portland, OR
For information contact Darian at (503) 522-3272
Or Jenny at (503) 577-3917
Email us at: mailto:producers@blindjohnmovie.com

Accomplishments

Sometimes we apply for funding requiring local fiscal sponsorship. Therefore, we searched for a local fiscal sponsor to meet those requirements. We’re happy to announce our local fiscal sponsor is the YWCA in Portland, Oregon. Thanks Jenny for taking the lead on this. And, a special thanks to Susan Stoltenberg, Executive Director, Portland YWCA.

In June we met Cheryl Green. Cheryl is an accomplished video describer and closed caption expert. We hope to tap her knowledge and skills as we get closer to producing the final film.

In July, Jenny, Derek, Darian and her sister, Laura, held a film screening at the home of Mark and Randie Peterson in Southwest Portland. A special thanks to Mark and Randie Peterson for hosting us so graciously and to those who attended and provided financial support. Also thanks to Laura Roberts for her support.

August was a busy month. Darian, Jenny and Derek traveled to Medford and White City to interview some key players in John’s story. This time we were joined by a second camera person, Anna Mendes, a student at Southern Oregon State University. With Anna’s help, she and Derek shot great interview footage, b-roll, and even an outdoor shoot with Grog hiking the trail to John’s house in Williams. On top of that, Anna was skilled and fun to hang with. Thanks, Anna.

Thanks to Mike Burrill, Jr. for hosting us at his hanger and for participating in another interview himself. We were also pleased to interview George Holberton again. Second interviews have helped to capture individuals’s stories, as some previous interviews were done in groups.

Thanks to George Holberton for hosting us at Beagle Sky Ranch. It was great seeing Oliver and Ann Valencia, Wayne, Jim and others at the drop zone. We got some great interview footage. Mark Owen gave us a delightful interview, recalling so many memories of John. Thank you Mark!

Thanks to Rabbit for hosting us at her home in Ashland. Rabbit has a beautiful, interesting home, and it was fun to meet her husband, David. We got a few more juicy tidbits about her memories of John. I was too young to go to Woodstock, and I am envious that Rabbit was able to experience it. This was a timely topic as this is the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. John would have loved to have been there.

We’re changing the name of the film! It was “Free Falling: The Story of John Fleming, Thrill Seeker”.

We think our new title is compelling and easy to remember. Look forward to more about our film: “Flying Blind”.

Funding

Do you know of companies who embrace the concept of raising awareness about blindness and who might consider sponsoring or investing in our project? Funding will enable us to get closer to completing the film. We would greatly appreciate any leads that would help us expedite our process. Please feel free to send your ideas to us: mailto:producers@blindjohnmovie.com

Would You Consider Becoming a Sustaining Donor?

So far you have all generously supported our project in word, encouragement, connections, sharing your memories of John and so much more. Your financial contributions have been the impetus that keeps us going. We are extremely grateful for your support.

We’re still keeping our noses to the grind stone, though, and there is still work to be done. Would you be willing to become a sustaining donor? Your support will ensure our ability to continue doing the work while we apply for larger grants and sponsorships. Financial support will assist with paying someone to catalog our materials, edit footage, hire additional camera people for live shooting, fund publicity efforts, reenact certain scenes from John’s stories, purchase insurance and music rights, complete trips for final interviews and pay fees to enter in film festivals

If interested, please contact Darian: (503) 522-3272 or:
mailto:producers@blindjohnmovie.com

Here are the links to the work we have accomplished to date:

Our website: https://www.blindjohnmovie.com/
Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/blindjohnmovie/
Our work sample: https://youtu.be/8pa9whe3YBI

Our Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/blindjohnmovie
Our GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/blindjohnmovie

Free Falling: The Story of John Fleming, Thrill Seeker
Donation Opportunities

Note: Options 1-3 are tax deductible.

OPTION 1: Make a tax-deductible donation online via American Council of the Blind

1. Go to www.acb.org (American Council of the Blind)
2. Click on the Donate button
3. Choose honorary donation
4. Enter “John Fleming movie” In box “donation is in honor of whom”
5. Click donate
6. You will be connected to PayPal where you will choose a payment method.

OPTION 2: Make a Tax-Deductible Donation by Check to American Council of the Blind

Mail a check to American Council of the Blind:
Write in memo line “John Fleming movie”
6300 Shingle Creek Parkway, Ste. 195
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430

OPTION 3: Donate by phone using a credit card via American Council of the Blind

Call 1-(800) 866-3242

OPTION 4: Donate directly via check to Flying Blind Productions, LLC

Mail a check to:

Flying Blind Productions, LLC
10424 SE Cherry Blossom Dr., Ste. B.
Portland, OR 97216

OPTION 5: Donate online at our GoFundMe page.

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For more information contact

Flying Blind Productions
(503) 522-3272
flyingblindproductionsllc@gmail.com
facebook.com/blindjohnmovie

You’ve heard about John and his buddies walking on railroad tracks, hopping trains and jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. It seems there is a plethora of crazy stunts John and his family got up to throughout his life.

Well, here’s one from his early days about the song “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka dot Bikini” written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss and first released in June 1959 by Brian Hyland with orchestra conducted by John Dixon.

One day, after that song came out, radio disc jockeys in Colton, California, put out a request for photos of girls in bikinis. John’s mom, Jeanne Fleming, baked a cake and decorated it like a girl in an “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”. She even added cupcakes to the chest.

John and his brother, Gene, took the cake to the radio station where the disc jockeys talked about it on the air. John said they even said something like,”and you’ll never guess which part I’m eating now!”

John’s mom loved fun as much as her boys did. It must have been that fun-loving spirit that got passed onto John and gave him the strength and courage to take life light-heartedly even in the face of adversity.

This is definitely meant to make you smile and recall fond memories.

In October, Darian, Derk, and Jenny traveled to Blind John’s old stompin’ grounds in Southern California. It was a whirlwind five days of interviews for the documentary — read on to share in our adventure of getting this movie made!

Meet Our Tour Guide, Matt Fleming

John’s brother, Matt Fleming, showed us John’s homes and favorite hangouts. We got to see John’s homes; Liam’s, John’s favorite bar; the area where John and his mom watched for airplanes and notified flight towers; and the railroad tracks where John and his buddies tempted fate. Along the way, Matt shared some great stories about his big brother.

We Collected Some More Stories about B.J.

At Liam’s, we met a couple of guys named John who used to hang out with John Fleming. They told us about helping John Fleming flag down cabs and how the drivers would sometimes pretend they couldn’t find John after seeing him waiting with his guide dogs. Some nights, the owner of Liam’s had an employee take John home.

We Found a Great Resource in the Colton Area Museum

Mike and Marian Murphy, board members of the Colton Area Museum, came in on their day off to give us a private tour and share their knowledge of Colton, California history. The museum, which relies on donations from Colton residents, contains many historical articles, period clothing, and photos. We plan to use some of this material in the documentary to give viewers a sense of what John’s hometown was like when he was growing up there in the 50s and 60s.

We Filmed Some Excellent Interviews at Skydive Perris

At Skydive Perris, skydiver Mike Muscat let us interview him about his experiences talking John down by radio. Mike also told us about his own experience jumping blindfolded. It’s a great story we were glad to be able to capture for the documentary.

Scott Smith, a training instructor at Skydive Perris, also had experience talking “Blind John” down by radio. He told us about one particularly bad landing he helped John have. Darian said John’s injuries after that jump were severe. His legs were cut nearly to the bone and had be washed and treated with iodine. But, as John’s skydiving buddies know, John could accept a bad landing once in a while much better than he could accept giving up skydiving.

Whew! We Accomplished a Lot with Help from Our Friends!

By the time it was all over we had interviewed 11 people for possible inclusion in the documentary, showed the short film to a new group of supporters, raised some money, and had a great time with some of John’s family and friends.

Huge thanks to Matt for driving us all over Colton, Riverside, and other parts of San Bernadino. Thanks to Larry, aka “Weasel,” and Judy and their five engaging Chihuahuas for sharing your stories about John and a great sing-a-long. Thanks to Carol for sharing her memories of getting to know John in Eugene, Oregon. Thanks to John’s cousin, Lee Hanson, and his wife Kris for telling us great stories about John’s guide dogs, Kiowa and Tia. Special thanks to Lee, Kris, Charlie, Cathy, Larry, and Lisa for all your help at the fundraiser at Skydive Perris. Big thanks to Skydive Perris for all your graciousness and your generous donation of space and equipment and for helping us spread the word about the screening/fundraiser event.

by Dan Rossi

September 13, 2003: Garrettsville OH

The world record for the largest freefall formation of blind skydivers was shattered today in the skies over rural Ohio. The two-way smashed the existing record by a factor of … two.

The participants, John “BJ” Fleming of California/Oregon 1900+ jumps, and Dan Rossi of Pennsylvania 300+ jumps, stepped off the tailgate of a Casa at 14,000 feet and into the skydiving history books, becoming the first two blind skydivers to ever be in freefall together.

Watch Here

The jumpers exited in a side-by-side and were stable right out the door. They closed for the two-way, screamed their congratulations to each other and then opened back to a side-by-side. At 6,500 feet Rossi gave Fleming the pull sign, a hard shake of his upper arm. Fleming deployed in position and then Rossi, assisted by a safety diver who was lurking near by, tracked to 4,000 feet and deployed.

There was quite a bit of radio traffic as Larry Wereb ably talked down the two skydivers, bringing them both in for great landings.

“We really pulled it off. I can’t believe it.” Said Fleming after landing back on the drop zone.

“It was beautiful.” Said Rossi. “I can’t believe that BJ let another blind guy give him the pull sign. He’s crazier than me.” He added after making his way back to the packing area.

When asked about the complexities in a dive such as this, Rossi responded: “Well, large freefall formations like this take months of planning and practice. A lot of people have to be in the right place at the right time. We think it might be theoretically possible to add another blind jumper, but we’d really have to investigate the aerodynamics of a formation that large.”

When asked about the experience and talent of a jumper to be part of this momentous skydive, Fleming explained: “Well, for a jump of this magnitude we had to take the best, and only the best skydivers qualified to make this jump. We had to look for the best, most experienced, and most active blind skydivers in the country. Of the two possible candidates, I think we chose well.”

To prove it was no fluke, Fleming and Rossi made a second jump together on Sunday. This time they invited their two safety divers to join them in a four-way. Rossi and Fleming repeated their flawless exit from the previous day and were joined in freefall by Don Schwab of Ohio and Howard Hutchetson of Oregon. The four-way built quickly and the divers got bored of geeking at each other while waiting for 6,500 feet. Rossi again gave the pull signal and then tracked with Schwab to a 4,000 foot deployment. Mary O’Reilly of Ohio successfully talked down the two jumpers for great landings.

The record attempt was nearly ended before it began when Rossi was “lost” on a jump Thursday evening. Due to a much greater than expected push from the uppers, and deteriorating lighting conditions, Rossi’s radio man was unable to see him from the ground. Rossi landed uneventfully in a field more than a mile from the landing area.

John Fleming, known as “Blind John” or “BJ” among skydivers, was the first skydiver to figure out how to safely jump solo without eyesight. In today’s clip, John talks about going blind, retinitis pigmentosa, and some of the funny predicaments his adventurous spirit got him into as his sight waned.

One of the things people most admired about John was his irrepressible spirit. It’s not that losing his sight didn’t affect him and create hardships, it did and he was honest about that — but he was also determined to live life on his own terms and, for him, that meant seeing the humorous side of living the life of a thrill-seeker who was going blind. So, don’t be afraid to chuckle while you watch this vid:

Blue skies!

P.S. If you love John’s stories and want more, consider a donation of $100 or more  at our GoFundMe page. Your gift will help support production costs for the full-length documentary and you will receive a copy of John Fleming’s ebook, No Shit, There I Was, I Thought I Was Going to Die. It is full of John’s stories of living a thrill-seeking life while losing his sight, and eventually, becoming totally blind.

Toward the end of his life, John began to experience Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS). Common among people who have lost a significant amount of sight, CBS causes visual hallucinations. Researchers believe it is the result of the brain trying to “fill in” information the eyes are no longer sending to it.

CBS Can Be Frightening

Many people who develop CBS are afraid they are developing mental illness or Alzheimer’s disease, which can be anxiety producing. If you know someone who is losing their sight and they are starting to see geometric shapes and/or people, animals, or places that are not really there, it might be CBS.

John described CBS as being quite disturbing when it first started for him. Fortunately, he was open about the situation and had understanding people around him to help him cope. Many people don’t speak up when they start to have CBS hallucinations, because of concerns they will be considered “crazy.”

In this video, a woman named Bee describes her experiences with CBS:

Don’t Keep CBS a Secret

If you think you or someone you love might have CBS, don’t let fear stop you. Speak up, talk to your doctor, learn all you can, and get support from others dealing with CBS.

VisionAware.org has some very good information, plus an online message board, links to support groups, and other useful resources for people managing CBS.

For a longer look at CBS, check out this TED talk by the Macular Degeneration Foundation.

Blue skies!

P.S. One of the great things about the full-length documentary we are making about John Fleming is that it’s not just entertaining. It will raise awareness about the conditions that blinded him and the ways he managed after losing his sight. If you think that sounds like an important goal, give what you can to support production costs at our GoFundMe page.

To help him walk independently to the plane, of course!

Meet “Blind John’s” Guide Dogs

John had two guide dogs during the time he was skydiving. It’s probably important to note at this point that he did not have the dogs jump out of planes with him, so there is no need for folks to write us angry letters. 🙂

Kiowa

John and Kiowa were well known among skydivers. They loved playing practical jokes at the drop zones. One of their favorite pranks was having a sighted person in the passenger seat of the van steering while John sat behind the wheel with Kiowa by his side. Imagine the newbies’ faces when they saw John pull up and get out of the van with his guide dog and cane.

Based on Kiowa’s big smile in this picture, it looks like she enjoyed playing these games as much as John  and his skydiving buddies did. She is fondly remembered at the drop zones.

Tia

John was also known to get strangers’ attention by having  his guide dog walk him and his cane up to the door of the plane. For those who didn’t know what a skilled skydiver John was, this caused some alarm!

Here’s Tia, John’s last guide dog, helping John navigate Skydive Perris. Tia was a sweetheart who made friends wherever she went.

Kiowa and Tia Weren’t Just Guide Dogs, They Were Family

Want to Hear More Hilarious Stories about Blind John?

We have lots more, which we will include in the full-length documentary about John’s adventures skydiving while blind. But we can’t do that without your help. Please, give what you can to support our production costs at GoFundMe/BlindJohnMovie.

As a young man, John Fleming learned he had a hereditary eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) that likely would cause him to become totally blind. Eventually, he developed macular degeneration as well. When he first began to skydive, his sight was impaired, but he was not totally blind. Over the years, “Blind John,” as he was known among skydivers, lost his sight entirely.

Imagining What Blind John Could See While Skydiving

But what does that look like? Many people assume blindness looks like complete darkness, but that’s actually extremely rare. Most blind people can at least perceive light. How that looks depends on the conditions causing the blindness and the individual person.

Here is a series of videos that do a great job of explaining RP and macular degeneration, along with one man’s description of what he sees. John Fleming’s experience with RP and macular degeneration may not have looked exactly like this, but it will give you an idea of the challenges John faced as a skydiver who was losing his sight.

My RP Retinitis Pigmentosa v2 by Steve Fialkoff & Family

My RP Visual Flashes by Steve Fialkoff & Family

Blue Soccer Ball Phenomena (Silent Film) by Steve Fialkoff & Family

Note: since this is a silent film, I am including the explanatory text from the YouTube post for our readers who can’t see this video.

Explanatory text from Steve Fialkoff:

I am in late stage RP, which is very limited but still have some usable sight. When I close my eyes to sleep, I see a tiny blue ball with webbing like a soccer ball. The ball slowly rotates one way, then stops and goes the other way. It is in the center and very small. It is a 3-dimensional image, that can be mistaken by most who see it as just lines swirling. If it is an “after image,” then it’s a new one on me, because it doesn’t fade for many minutes. the background around the ball is black. This animation is pretty close .

Huge thanks to Steve Fialkoff & Family (My RP Vision on YouTube) for making these excellent, informative videos.

Wondering How John Kept Skydiving Solo Even After He Lost His Sight?

It’s an incredible story and we are on a mission to create a full-length documentary that explains how John jumped safely and why he was determined to keep skydiving after he could no longer rely on his vision to guide him down. Want to see this film made? Please give what you can to support our production costs at our Blind John Movie GoFundMe page. We are a small production team of family and friends, so truly, every little bit helps.