Parachutist delights kids
at Kalihi park

A man flying a paraglider landed in a Kalihi park yesterday evening, much to the delight of children who were playing nearby.

"I wish I can do that -- fly like a superhero," said 6-year-old Alex Sander, who watched the landing at Kamehameha Field, which is on the Ewa side of Likelike Highway near Bishop Museum.

His father, Skelton "Neti" Sander, said he saw the parachutist coming from the Alewa Heights area near Kamehameha Schools.

Police dispatchers received calls at 5:37 p.m. about the incident, but since the man landed without any problems, no units were sent.

Witnesses said the man was seated in a "chair" attached to a rectangular, bright-red-and- yellow parachute that landed in the middle of the grassy field.

"This guy was wearing a mask -- full flying gear," the elder Sander said. "He came down and landed on his feet."

Sander said kids were running down to the field from nearby homes.

"It looked like it was sky-gliding," said Gezley Ebinger, 10, who was outside her house on Amelia Street.

"I think it was cool," said her sister Desley, 13.

"I don't know where it came from. I heard a plane but I didn't see it."

Sander said the man, still wearing all his gear, gathered up his parachute without folding it and hurriedly walked off. "He walked to that stop sign and disappeared," he said.

One woman said he told the kids he flew in from Nanakuli.

Sander said the parachutist was lucky the field was empty, because usually a baseball or rugby game is being played there.