A mum who fell 3,000ft after her husband sabotaged her parachute before a skydive has remarried a skydiving enthusiast.
Victoria Cilliers, 48, wed Simon Goodman at a register office last weekend, nearly 10 years after she dodged death, reports the Mirror.
Her former husband initially attempted to murder Victoria by tampering with gas pipes at their home and then slicing apart her parachute rigging. Emilie Cilliers was found guilty of two counts of attempting murder and a third charge of recklessly endangering life, receiving a minimum of 18 years in prison.
Following the horrific experience, mum-of-two Victoria met Simon – a former Royal Marine – at the same Wiltshire parachute club where her former husband launched his wicked plot. It is believed the pair began dating in 2018 and wed at a low-key reception at the weekend, attended by the pair’s closest friends and family members.
One friend said: “It was a close-knit occasion, just very fun and no fuss. Vicki has been through so much. She deserves this happiness more than anyone I know.”
Simon, originally from Somerset, served in the Royal Marines for 30 years before retiring. It’s believed it’s the 53-year-old’s first marriage. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is now an apprentice paramedic with South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.
Victoria, who suffered a broken pelvis and four fractures of her spine in the horror fall in April 2015, was a key witness in her ex-husband’s trial, the Daily Mail reports. Channel 4’s three-part serial The Fall: Skydive Murder Plot dramatised Victoria’s remarkable ordeal.
Speaking previously, the mum described her new partner as “her rock”, saying: “I try not to rely on him too much emotionally but practically he’s brilliant. He’s been aware of everything right from the start. I don’t think I could have dated someone who didn’t know. The thought of explaining my past would have been too much. We have a similar circle of friends and I’ve known him for years, which is the only way it would have worked because of trust issues.”
The interview in 2020 came two years after Cilliers was sentenced for two counts of attempted murder and a third charge of recklessly endangering life. Sentencing the man at Winchester Crown Court, Mr Justice Sweeney said: “This was wicked offending of extreme gravity.”
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