quote [ Ever since Sophie Blanchard stepped into the basket with her husband, the famous balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard, she knew she belonged to the air. Before she found her calling, Sophie was a shy and nervous person, who couldn’t even take a carriage ride because she was afraid of loud noises and was startled too easily. But once airborne, Sophie underwent a striking metamorphosis and transformed into an almost reckless daredevil. ]