MOAB, Utah, June 16, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — The family of an Arizona man who died Sunday near Moab while tandem jumping with BASE jumping icon “Sketchy” Andy Lewis, is asking that he be remembered as well.
The other victim, who was identified Sunday as a 50-year-old man, and whose name was not released, was actually 68-year-old Danny Joe Kregle, according to family statement.
The statement was provided with a selfie that Kregle reportedly took on Sunday.
“We hope he can be remembered for the life he lived and the people who loved him,” said family member Sydney Laverty, in a provided statement run by USA Today and multiple other news outlets.
“Danny was a devoted father to two daughters and a proud papa to his granddaughter. He was an active member of the Paradise Valley and Mesa communities, an accomplished businessman, and someone who was passionate about boxing and travel.
“Danny had a wonderful sense of humor and was always looking for ways to make people laugh. One of his greatest joys was performing magic tricks alongside his granddaughter. He was the light of her world, and she was the light of his.
“He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and everyone whose lives he touched. We are grateful for the opportunity to share a little about the remarkable man he was and hope any future coverage reflects his legacy and the love his family has for him.”
Provided photo of Danny Joe Kregle
Tandem Base Moab, which was not owned by Lewis, also shared a statement on Monday:
“Danny Joe Kregle – I’ve always said that tandems are not about the experienced jumper, so I felt the need to give Danny a post of his own,” the Instagram post says.
“Danny is the passenger that died yesterday. Danny did not die jumping with us, we still feel compelled to share him. We are sending love in the direction of Danny and his loved ones.
“We take the privilege of sharing jumps with people extremely seriously. I feel unbelievably fortunate to do this for a living and I thank all of you for the support.”
