Skydiver 'in good spirits' after near-fatal solo jump

SOUTHPORT, N.C. [CBS7]

A North Carolina skydiver with nearly 1,000 jumps to his credit is recovering from serious injuries sustained during a parachute malfunction at a Southport drop zone. Anthony Pietrucci, 36, plummeted 40 to 100 feet while executing an advanced aerial maneuver at Coastal Carolina's Skydive when his parachute failed to function properly at high velocity. The fall left him with a fractured rib, severe internal bleeding and multiple bone breaks throughout his body.

Sister Hillary Hall said her initial reaction to learning of the accident was one of fear for the worst possible outcomes. "I thought for sure he was paralyzed or dead," she said. Despite the severity of his injuries, Pietrucci has maintained a positive outlook during his recovery. In a video message shared with news outlets, he expressed optimism about his progress, saying, "I'm here, I'm making progress, I'll be out soon."

Pietrucci's connection to skydiving began six years ago when he made his first jump on his 30th birthday. Hall described how the experience reignited something in her brother during a difficult period in his life. The sport proved so transformative that Pietrucci eventually moved to Southport to be closer to drop zones and became an instructor, teaching newcomers the discipline. He also worked as a bartender at a Wilmington establishment called Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

Hall noted that advanced skydiving maneuvers performed by certified athletes operate within razor-thin margins of safety, despite the overall safety record of the sport when conducted under proper regulations. Pietrucci's experience as a skilled jumper did not protect him from complications during this particular descent, though his expertise may have aided his survival.

Since the accident, medical teams have successfully completed reconstructive surgery on Pietrucci's pelvis to address the structural damage from his fall. The procedure required blood transfusions due to significant blood loss, but Hall reported positive developments following the operation. The skydiver has since been discharged from intensive care and transferred to a standard hospital room as rehabilitation continues.

Hall credited the broader community for providing crucial support during Pietrucci's recovery period. She expressed amazement at how many lives her brother had touched through his work and passion for the sport. The timing of Pietrucci's hospitalization carried particular weight for the family, as his mother had undergone her own medical crisis just months earlier, surviving three separate brain hemorrhages that had left the family uncertain about her survival.