Someone Packed Your Parachute

It’s easy to think our success is built on our own skill, talent, or determination. But the truth is, none of us make it alone.

Charles Plumb learned that the hard way.

A U.S. Navy fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, Plumb flew 75 combat missions before being shot down. He ejected, parachuted safely, and was captured, spending six years in a Vietnamese prison.

Years later, while eating at a restaurant with his wife, a man approached him and said, “You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!”

Plumb asked, “How did you know that?”

The man replied, “I packed your parachute.” Plumb froze. The man smiled and said, “I guess it worked!”

That night, Plumb couldn’t sleep. He thought about how many times he’d passed that sailor on the ship without saying hello or even noticing him. He was the fighter pilot. The sailor was just the guy at the bottom of the ship, folding parachutes. Yet that sailor’s quiet excellence saved his life.

It’s a humbling reminder for all of us. Success is never a solo act. Someone packed your parachute at some point or another. Be thankful for the people who quietly make your success possible.

My request today is simple: go into your phone and call or text someone who helped pack your parachute. For no other reason than to say thank you.

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