Meet this woman who went skydiving at 104 years old!

Dorothy Hoffner, a 104-year-old woman from Chicago, left her walker on the ground to do a tandem skydiving jump from 13,500 feet in northern Illinois, hoping to be recognized as the oldest person to skydive by the end of 2023.

"Age is just a number," Hoffner expressed to a crowd that cheered her after landing at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, about 85 miles southwest of Chicago. The current world record for the oldest skydiver was set in May 2022 by Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson from Sweden at 103 years old. However, Skydive Chicago made every effort to have Hoffner's jump certified as a new record by Guinness World Records, unfortunately she passed away months later without being recognized.

Hoffner, who did her first skydive at 100 years old, left her walker just before boarding the Skyvan plane and was assisted up the steps to join others waiting inside to jump. "Let's go, Geronimo!", Hoffner exclaimed after finally being seated.

Unlike her first jump, where she had to be pushed out of the plane, this time, secured to a certified instructor from the US Parachute Association, Hoffner insisted on leading the jump from 13,500 feet. With evident calm and confidence, Hoffner executed a perfect forward somersault in the sky before stabilizing in free fall with her belly towards the ground. The jump lasted seven minutes, including the slow descent of her parachute to the ground.

Friends rushed to congratulate her, while someone brought her red walker. She quickly stood up and when asked how it felt to be back on the ground, she replied: "Wonderful. Up there was wonderful. It couldn't have been better."

After her jump, Hoffner was already thinking about the future and other challenges. The woman, who turned 105 in December and has lived her whole life in Chicago, said she wanted to try a hot air balloon ride. "I've never been on one of those," she remarked. Just like her, dare to practice sports that challenge your fears, it's an experience you won't forget in life; we recommend paragliding, as it is similar to the one described in this article.