Skydiver who crashed into Virginia Tech scoreboard says jumbotron saved lives

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2026 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG. Pasha Palanker, a military veteran and parachute demonstrator, shares his harrowing experience after crashing into the Virginia Tech scoreboard during a spring football game on Saturday. Palanker explains that unexpected wind gusts exceeding safety limits caused him to lose control. He credits the scoreboard with saving his life, noting he would have fallen to his death or into the stands otherwise. A skydiver who crashed into the scoreboard at Virginia Tech on Saturday said the structure saved his life and the lives of fans after sudden wind gusts pushed him off course and left him hanging above Lane Stadium. Pasha Palanker, a veteran parachutist and Purple Heart recipient, told "Fox & Friends First" on Tuesday that gusts of wind much stronger than anticipated nearly sent him, along with the massive American flag attached to him and its anchor, care