Skydiving at 104: Dorothy Hoffner’s Record-Breaking Leap of Courage
A remarkable feat unfolded as Dorothy Hoffner, a 104-year-old resident of Chicago, embarked on an exhilarating skydiving adventure in northern Illinois, leaving her walker behind to attempt breaking the record for the world’s oldest skydiver. With unwavering determination, Hoffner demonstrated that age is truly just a number.
Touching down at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, approximately 85 miles (140 kilometers) southwest of Chicago, Dorothy Hoffner exclaimed to an enthusiastic crowd, “Age is just a number,” immediately after her landing.
In May 2022, the Guinness World Record for the oldest skydiver was established by Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson, a 103-year-old individual from Sweden. However, Skydive Chicago has set its sights on obtaining official certification from Guinness World Records for Hoffner’s remarkable jump, as reported by WLS-TV.
Remarkably, Hoffner first ventured into the world of skydiving when she reached the age of 100. On this particular Sunday, she chose to leave her walker behind as she approached the Skyvan aircraft, assisted up the steps by fellow skydiving enthusiasts who eagerly awaited their turn.
Once comfortably seated inside the aircraft, Hoffner enthusiastically exclaimed, “Let’s go, let’s go, Geronimo!” After a previous experience in which she had to be pushed out of an aircraft during her first skydive, Hoffner now insisted on taking the lead, tethered to a U.S. Parachute Association-certified instructor, for a jump from a staggering altitude of 13,500 feet (4,100 meters).
As the plane ascended into the sky and the rear door opened, revealing vast tan crop fields below, Dorothy Hoffner displayed an air of calm and confidence. She gracefully propelled herself from the edge of the aircraft, executing a perfect forward roll in mid-air before assuming a stable freefall position with her belly facing the ground.
Warm congratulations poured in from her friends as she descended, with someone promptly bringing her red walker over. Hoffner swiftly rose to her feet and shared her feelings about being back on solid ground, describing it as “wonderful.” However, she couldn’t contain her joy at the delightful experience she had in the skies above, emphasizing that the entire adventure had been nothing short of marvelous.
Following her daring jump, Hoffner’s thoughts turned to future challenges. A lifelong resident of Chicago who is set to celebrate her 105th birthday in December, she contemplated the possibility of taking a hot-air balloon ride, an experience she had never encountered before. “I’ve never been in one of those,” she remarked, indicating that her adventurous spirit continues to thrive.