Making History at Breakneck Speeds
How often do you go 286 mph?
For Jim Wigginton, the owner of the equity firm True North and founder of the Punya Thyroid Cancer Endowed Fund at Michigan Medicine, there was no need for a car or a plane to reach that speed. All he needed was gravity.
Wigginton and his partner Maya Majewski recently broke the world record for the highest tandem parachute jump ever. From an astonishing 37,417 feet above the Earth, the two men began their free fall. The thin atmosphere where they jumped had a temperature 75 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, and that doesn’t account for the windchill the tandem experienced on their way to hitting an incredible top speed 286.7 mph.
Wigginton and Majewski were free falling for two and a half minutes and then spent another 13 minutes under the canopy before they touched down in Poland, officially breaking the world record for the highest tandem parachute jump in history.
What Wigginton and Majewski have done is certainly an incredible achievement, but it’s only a small part of the story.
The Punya Thyroid Cancer Endowed Fund
Wigginton’s wife, Nacy, passed away in 2013 due to thyroid cancer. He said that he would go to great heights to remember her, and he has more than delivered on that promise.
He is working on stair climbing the highest building in each of the United States, climbing all 54 peaks in Colorado that are over 14,000 feet, and he has already performed numerous skydives around the world, including one in Antarctica. Wigginton broke his first world record in April of 2019, where he performed seven skydives on seven continents in seven months. On top of this, Wigginton has walked the entire Camino de Santiago trail in Spain (about 500 miles), and run with the bulls in Pamplona.
All of this was done to raise awareness for the foundation Wigginton created in honor of his late wife, the Punya Thyroid Cancer Endowed Fund.
“Punya” is derived from the Polish word for “Mrs.” and it was a particular endearment Wigginton used for his beloved wife. An article published in Medicine at Michigan Magazine quotes Wigginton saying, “She was just one of those energetic, happy, loving, kind people. If you met her once, you’d never forget.”
The Punya Thyroid Cancer Endowed Fund was put together to help the people who have thyroid cancer live longer, healthier lives with fewer side effects. Wigginton provided a gift of $1 million to the University of Michigan to establish the Punya Thyroid Cancer Endowed Fund and has since been working hard to raise more money and raise awareness.
Taking the Jump and Creating a Special Commemorative Coin
When asked about his inspiration to break the world record for the highest tandem skydive, Wigginton said, “I had been doing extreme skydives for several years, and it seemed like one that was feasible, although it actually was quite complex and took seven attempts and ultimately a team of nearly 30 people.”
Just as with his other achievements, this jump was done in honor of his wife, and to raise awareness for her foundation.
“Most of the preparation went on behind the scenes, far more than I ever knew or could appreciate,” said Wigginton. “From getting clearance from the civilian and military control towers for a very long period to redesigning the balloon basket for a tandem HALO, … to monitoring weather patterns at every altitude.”
Once the jump was completed, Wigginton ordered a set of unique commemorative coins to honor the achievement shared by the entire team. “All members of the jump team, as well as family and friends, got one. In addition, we exchange them with all of our military and ex-military friends and as a gift to very special people we meet,” said Wigginton.
Both Wigginton and Maya’s full names are printed on the coins, honoring the world record the pair set together. On the back of the coins, the design of the actual balloon that carried them more than 37,000 feet in the air is included beside a depiction of the two men under the parachute canopy on their way back down to earth.
Honoring Life and Love
Wigginton is working hard to make the Punya Fund at the University of Michigan the most influential thyroid cancer fund in the world. Through his own funds, and through money he helps raise, the goal is to improve and lengthen the time and quality of life for patients who have advanced thyroid cancer.
In the grand scheme of things, the record-setting tandem HALO jump and the special commemorative coins designed by Wigginton are just a small part of an ongoing story. We’re honored to have played a small part in that story, and wish Wigginton and his family the best of luck in all of their future endeavors.
To learn more about the Punya Fund or to donate, visit the Punya Fund website. Keep your eyes on the sky if you hope to see more from Wigginton in the future. He’s sure to keep reaching new heights as he finds more ways to honor his beloved wife.
