For former Navy Seal Mike Sarraille, one jump in honor of fallen soldiers just wouldn’t do. And it turns out, one continent wouldn’t do either.
That’s why Sarraille and nine other special ops veterans started to skydive on every continent in a week, an endeavor they undertook in 2023, per Wide Open Country.
It’s referred to as the “Triple 7” — seven skydives on seven continents in seven days, the Washington Examiner reported.
“When we say the words, especially with Memorial Day, ‘Never forget and to forever honor those who gave everything,’ never forget the example that these men and women set. And ‘forever honor,’ forever honor means living our lives to the fullest,” Sarraille said.
Sarraille said this special mission should inspire Americans.
“In special operations, we try to find the hardest things that people say is impossible,” he said. “Don’t tell the American fighting man or woman that something can’t be done. We’ll prove you wrong.”
Sarraille jumped last year in memory of a fellow soldier who saved his life.
“I jumped for Michael Monsoor, who was posthumously awarded the medal of honor,” he said to Wide Open Country. “He jumped over a grenade 3 feet from me, as well as another seal, to save our lives.”
“We did something that people said, ‘It couldn’t be done.’ We proved them wrong, but guys like Mikey [Monsoor] and all the ones we’ve lost are never far from my mind. They gave their today and every one of their tomorrows,” Sarraille said, per the Washington Examiner. “This is also for the military families. They pay a cost, especially when a loved one doesn’t come home. Military families are the unsung heroes.”
Sarraille also talked about survivor’s guilt.
“There is a bit of survivor’s guilt when you come back from something like that,” he said. “It still lingers. But at some point, that has to turn into living in their memory. That’s exactly what this trip is about.”
The group documented their jumps the film “Triple 7: They Said It Couldn’t Be Done,” which was directed and produced by Dan Myrick of “The Blair Witch Project.”
“It was an opportunity for me to get into this very elite world, this very closed, kind of mysterious world, and sort of demystify a little bit about what these guys are about because Hollywood has the tendency to stereotype them and portray them either as broken soldiers or ‘Rambo’ types,” Myrick said.
“I realized that they are these really super cool guys. They’re creative and empathetic, very smart, intelligent — emotionally intelligent — guys,” he added. “We don’t forget these individuals that gave up everything for us to do what we do.”
A part of the proceeds from the film go to the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides scholarships for military members and first responders.
The film has raised $2 million of its $7 million goal for Folds of Honor.
