April 1st, 2018 is a day that will be forever etched into my mind. On impulse four days earlier, I'd phoned Wild Geese Skydive Centre in Coleraine to ask about using the voucher that Carol had bought me for my 50th birthday. They said they had space for me that weekend, so I booked it.

We set off at 06:30 on an unseasonably cold morning (it was -3 deg C!) and got to the skydive centre just over an hour later. After weeks of wet, cloudy, cold and snowy weather, the skies were totally clear and a bright sun shone down on us, immediately lifting my mood.

After just 30 minutes of instruction, I met my tandem instructor, Rod and camerawoman, JoJo and we took our places inside one of the club's two Cessna 206s.

At 10,000 ft, I sat at the open door and waited. What followed was the most profound and life-changing experience I've ever felt. My past and future evaporated and I was totally, utterly in the moment.

I have never before felt such such pure, all-consuming euphoria and elation. All my worries and stress ceased to exist as, for almost 60 seconds, I fell at terminal velocity (120mph) towards earth.

The five or so minutes that followed after the canopy was deployed were magical; a totally tranquil and unique vantage point from which to enjoy the sweeping vista below.

This is the video of that memorable day.