The Lunatic Fringe Podcast The Pilot

She had always dreamed of dancing and flying. They were two dreams that did not necessarily fit together. At least not until she saw two Titans in our sport dancing in the sky. That moment, coupled with the fact that her father lived only a few kilometers away from a skydiving center, and Roberta Mancino knew it was for her. Balancing a busy career as a model, and her new passion for skydiving, it didn't take long for her to begin combining those two as well. Not only did she find herself working with fashion designers to find ever more creative ways to highlight both their creations and her skills, she began pursuing her desire for competition. Now, the veteran of multiple blockbuster movie stunts, wingsuit competitions around the world and more, Roberta Mancino helps coach not only the upcoming generations of the Lunatic Fringe, but continues to chase her own passions.

Like many long time skydivers, it was a great from pretty much the first jump for Sven Jseppi. With a supportive family, and the early realization that you could actually make money jumping out of airplanes, he had his path. Through luck with timing and weather he met his wife as she and her friend made their first jumps, and it's with her that he's carved out his own little corner of the sport as a successful tandem skydiving operator. Yet the competition bug was always something Sven had in him, and the canopy side of things got ahold just as the blossoming sport of canopy piloting was really gaining traction. Training, working, training, competing. It was a long road that he loved navigating, and it led him to reach the lofty goal of world champion. Now, occupying the top slot and with a little breathing room, competition is still a true passion, but without the need to push the limits no matter what. With his sights set on South Africa and a chance to defend his title, he's aiming once again for Lunatic Fringe gold.

A random off field landing. It happens all the time at skydiving centers all around the world; but this off landing in the early 90's changed the course of Steve Burrow's life. A working man and a father of two sons and a daughter at the time, skydiving may not have been the normal path to take, but it was the one for Steve. With a supportive wife and family, he became an active and passionate skydiver up until 2005, when he made the choice to step away from the sport and give his attention to his loved ones. Cut to almost 20 years later when for 26:40, the equivalent of an A license worth of free fall, Steve Burrow was dead. Coded and laying on a hospital gurney having fallen victim to a massive infection, it was the incredibly hard work of his medical team that ensured he would continue to fight another day. Now, just over a year after surgeries that left him a quad-amputee, Steve found himself drawn back to the sky. With the assistance of the amazing team at Skydive Spaceland in Dallas, Steve showed his Lunatic Fringe drive to live life to the fullest, regardless of what's been thrown in his way, embracing the truth that once a skydiver, always a skydiver.

The son of a previously unrevealed badass, sports like surfing had attracted Mike Brewer from a young age, but as he found himself running track for a military academy he couldn't help but feel that something was missing. As usually happens, random chance and circumstance found him taking the leap on his first static line jump. Then his second that same day. That was pretty much all it took. Realizing that his previous love for photography could aim him toward the top of the pyramid as a... tandem videographer. His almost singular goal moving forward became all things skydiving. Improving his flying skills, the pursuit of film making within the sport and a drive to compete were just a few of facets that drew him in.  From living in a tent behind the Paraclete wind tunnel to working as a military contractor and skydiving competitor, to speed skydiving, to taking on the role of a documentarian for the lofty Project 19, Mike Brewer is in it for the long run, tempering his Lunatic Fringe tendencies with a high work ethic and desire to move his vision for the sport into the future. 

Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Canada, Carlo Manuel did all the same things the other kids did. From skate boards to music, he did his best to fit in with the crowd; but when the thought of life in the military appeared on his radar, he knew it was the role of paratrooper that had real appeal. So much so that Carlo went out and made his first jump at a civilian dropzone, just to make sure he and a grip on what was to come. That's all it took. Although it would be many years before Carlo was actively jumping, his time in the military while deployed in Afghanistan would lead to skydiving opportunities one might not expect from someone in his line of work. Skydiving would not only become a passion for Carlo, it was an escape. a way to quiet the voices that constantly reminded him of difficult times. Now, having learned from personal experience that you can only avoid those inner demons for so long, Carlo goes out of his way to put in the work, seek connection, and offer up his take on mental health and well being, all while living the vagabond Lunatic Fringe lifestyle to its fullest.

"Cause who the hell am l" is what most people say when they've got an opinion they either aren't ready or don't think they're qualified to share, and although you'll hear Candice say those exact words, they aren't ones that keep her from sharing. A self proclaimed 'empty Nester' who found herself asking what might come next, it turned out skydiving was. Back in the day there was no way she could have ever imagined doing even one jump let alone going on to get licensed, but now, having raised children under the shadows of canopies flying over her Florida neighborhood she's decided to do something one hundred percent for herself. Learning to overcome fear in dramatic fashion, with a smile from an icon in the sport being what kept her from walking away, Candice Wooten may be a newer member of the Lunatic Fringe, but she's damn sure going to stay!