Photo of the parachuter on Lane Stadium's video board. (Copyright 2026 by WSLS 10 - All rights reserved.)
BLACKSBURG, Va. – A man was rescued after a pregame ceremony went awry at Lane Stadium on Saturday.
Before the kickoff for Virginia Tech’s 2026 Spring Football Game, a parachuting team of three came down from the skies, with one person carrying an American flag. The parachuter with the flag was blown off course by the wind, crashing into the upper right corner of Lane Stadium’s video board.
After an initial rescue attempt, other rescue squads were brought in to assist.
Virginia Tech spokesperson Mark Owczarski said the parachuter was rescued within 15 minutes and sustained no injuries.
Colton joined the WSLS 10 team as a digital content producer in July 2024, soon after graduating cum laude from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in sociology and a minor in psychology.
