A woman who broke the world record for the oldest person to skydive has sadly died mere days after accomplishing the amazing feat.
Dorothy Hoffner, 104, from northern Illinois, embarked on a journey that would cement her name into history.
Her destination: the skies above, where the brave centenarian was determined to rewrite the record books.
Dorothy’s daring feat
This required her to board an aircraft that would ascend to a dizzying altitude of 13,500 feet.
The moment of truth arrived as Dorothy received the signal that it was time to take the plunge. Strapped securely to her trusty dive instructor, she took a fearless leap from the plane, hurtling through the atmosphere at breakneck speed for a few exhilarating seconds before the parachute was deployed.
Touching down once more on solid ground at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Dorothy couldn’t contain her excitement and proudly shouted: “Age is just a number.” Her resilience and spirit made her an instant legend among the gathered crowd who were watching her in awe from below.
Once she made it to the ground, Dorothy’s loved ones hugged her, before she grabbed her red walker to assist her in making her way back.
Reflecting on the extraordinary experience, Dorothy couldn’t help but express her sheer delight, saying: “It was wonderful up there. The whole thing was delightful, wonderful, couldn’t have been better.”
She also told the Chicago Sun-Times: “What has age got to do with what you’re doing? I’m 104 years old, so what?”
A spokesperson for the Guinness Book of World Records said that they would be reviewing Dorothy’s world record attempt once they received the evidence.
Sadly, however, her excitement was to be short lived.
Passed away days later
Just days after her astonishing accomplishment, Dorothy was found dead at the Brookdale Lake View senior community where she lives.
“She was indefatigable. She just kept going. She was not someone who would take naps in the afternoon, or not show up for any function, dinner or anything else. She was always there, fully present. She kept going, always,” Joe Conant, her close friend, stated.
Skydive Chicago, where Dorothy completed her skydiving, released a statement to CBS News, that read: “We are deeply saddened by Dorothy’s passing and feel honored to have been a part of making her world-record skydive a reality.
“Skydiving is an activity that many of us safely tucked away in our bucket lists. But Dorothy reminds us that it’s never too late to take the thrill of a lifetime,” they continued. “We are forever grateful that skydiving was a part of her exciting, well-lived life. Her legacy is even more remarkable because of the attention the world gave to her inspiring story.”
Dorothy was set to turn 105 in two months, and was already planning on what adrenaline-inducing activity she would be doing next.
While it’s sad, it’s clear that Dorothy lived a full and eventful life – even until the very end.
