OGDEN -- Arlyn Creek was always smiling, no matter how bad the mood was around him. That's how family and friends are remembering the 29-year-old Gardiner, Mont., man who lost his life while skydiving Wednesday.
The group gathered Friday to reminisce about Creek at one of his favorite places: iFLY Utah.
"When I would call him and he didn't answer the phone, I knew he was either skydiving or he was down here at the wind tunnel," said Nathan Creek, Arlyn's older brother.
"He was passionate about it. He was passionate about everything he did. He didn't live his life the way others wanted him to live it. He lived his life the way he wanted to live it."
Creek, who was a miner for Stillwater Mining Company, began skydiving when he was in his late teens, said his mother, Ellen Stecher. From his first jump, he was hooked.
"He took me up three years ago for Mother's Day," she said. "He said I would either hate it and never want to go again or I would love it and wouldn't be able to wait to get back up there.
"Well, I loved it."
Creek also bought a skydiving trip for his father, Donald, and stepmother, Coral, and was planning to take his 80-year-old grandmother Shirley Creek in the near future.
"He told me he would take me whenever I was ready," Shirley said. "I was willing to do it. I wanted to do it."
On Wednesday, Creek was one of a group of 12 skydivers when he collided in the air with another skydiver during the free fall on the northeast side of Ogden-Hinckley Airport.
Creek fell approximately 100 feet to the ground and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
"He motivated me to be more serious about skydiving," said friend Jimmy Gilland, who was with Creek at the time of the accident. "He was so excited about it and was always so excited about everyone else succeeding."
Creek also had a great love for hunting, hiking and weight-lifting. His picture has been published in several magazines, including the April edition of Parachutist, where he competed in the money meet and took third place. He also took second in state in a body-building competition during high school.
"He was so healthy. He lived on tuna fish and protein powder," Coral said. "If you gave him a baked potato with butter on it, he wouldn't eat it. His only vice was diet Dr. Pepper."
Kyle Buchholz, an instructor at iFLY Utah, said it was amazing to watch Creek in the wind tunnel.
"He was so talented. It was just so awesome to watch him fly," Buchholz said. "We're planning to go to nationals in a couple of weeks, and Arlyn is going to be right there with us."
The group also is making plans to hold a memorial jump in Creek's honor, Buccholz said.
"We just want everyone to know that Arlyn would never want anyone to give up their passion for skydiving because of this tragedy," said Arlyn's mother. "He would want them to continue to jump and to continue to live life to the fullest."
The family wants people to remember Arlyn's smile.
"He was always smiling no matter what," Stecher said. "In fact, he's still got a smile on his face. It's never going to leave him. He's going to take it with him."
Arlyn was also an organ donor, said Coral, and he has already helped a 15-year-old girl from Montana.
"He was a great son," Donald Creek said. "I couldn't have asked for a better son."
A celebration of Creek's life will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Gardiner High School. Condolences can be e-mailed to creek@abovetherestlodge.com.
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