Advocate for the disabled Gary Tinker commemorated his 1989 trek from La Ronge to Regina with a parachute jump on Saturday. (Jordan Jackle/CBC)

A northern Saskatchewan man with cerebral palsy who once walked on crutches from La Ronge to Regina commemorated that feat on the weekend with a parachute jump from 3,000 metres.

Gary Tinker, who founded the Gary Tinker Federation for the Disabled following his 1989 trek, made his tandem jump with instructor Mark Ehrmantraut Saturday afternoon from the sky over Moose Jaw.

The dive included a freefall of several hundred metres before Ehrmantraut released the chute.

"Oh, that's an awesome experience. Holy cow," said a beaming Tinker after he and Ehrmantraut landed.

Tinker (left) made a tandem jump with instructor Mark Ehrmantraut. (Jordan Jackle/CBC)

Later, the Pinehouse resident said he felt like he was going to die after jumping off the plane, but he didn't panic.

"I just had to concentrate how to breathe right," he said. "I thought I was going to lose it there for a while. But yep, I did it, so I'm pretty happy."

In addition to commemorating the 20th anniversary of Tinker's 79-day, 650-kilometre journey, the dive was also intended to bring some attention to an upcoming conference on northern disabilities issues.

The Sept. 11-12 conference at the Lac La Ronge Indian Band's far reserve will look at unmet needs of disabled people, including employment and youth concerns.