A Chicago woman may soon see her name in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest skydiver in the world.
104-year-old Dorothy Hoffner left her walker behind as she did a 13,500-foot tandem leap from an airplane Sunday at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois.
“It's really a wonderful feeling to feel the earth under you," said Hoffner. “When you feel good, you can do these things. Sometimes, you have a fear or scare of doing it, but if you feel good, do it." Hoffner was met with a huge round of applause once her feet returned to solid ground, even though the centenarian herself doesn't see what all the fuss is about.
“It was wonderful, I enjoyed it and I couldn't understand why those people were there," said Hoffner. "But as I say, all I did was get older. I'm not old, just older."“I think a lot of people that were sitting and watching it or maybe are watching this may be thinking, 'God, if she can do it, why can't I?'" said Les Moore.
The Guinness World Record for oldest skydiver was set back in May 2022 by 103-year-old Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson from Sweden.The Chicagoan is set to turn 105 in December and says she'd like to take things easy next summer by going on a hot air balloon ride.