A 104-year-old woman has set a record for being the oldest parachutist in the world!
Some people are too scared to jump into the deep end of a swimming pool, let alone have enough courage to jump out of an airplane. However, Dorothy Hoffner proved that you can do it all without breaking a sweat.
On Sunday (October 1), the lifelong Chicagoan completed a skydive at Skydive Chicago Sunday in Ottawa, Illinois, by leaping from a plane roughly 10,000 feet off the ground with the help of tandem jumper Derek Baxter.
Footage captured by Jake Sheridan, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune showed the centenarian being cheered on by a crowd of onlookers who gathered to witness the milestone.
Watch the moment below:Strapped to a dive instructor, Hoffner and Baxter jumped out of the plane and enjoyed a few seconds of free fall before the parachute was deployed.
After landing, Hoffner addressed the crowd and the press asking questions about her monumental skydive and said that while it's "wonderful" to be back on the ground, it was "wonderful up there, too".
"The whole thing was delightful, wonderful," she continued. "Couldn’t have been better if we thought of it ourselves."
She was then questioned about what's next on her record-breaking agenda and said: "One never knows." However, she did indicate that a third jump and a hot air balloon excursion may be in her future, saying: "I’ve never been on one,"
When asked how it felt to - unofficially - hold a world record, she quipped: "Like I’m old," which generated lots of laughter from the reporters. She then added: "Age is only a number, you know."
The elderly woman expressed her gratitude to the press and the crowd for witnessing her special moment, saying: "Thank you for being here. I think that’s very wonderful of you," adding that being in front of a cheering crowd is "a little strange" because she is "not used to publicity".
The video of her amazing feat was shared on social media and it has inspired many people.
One user wrote: "I love this. Live each day to the fullest!", while another said: "Age is just a number, and Dorothy Hoffner is living proof that it's never too late to soar to new heights! #Inspiration #SkydivingLegend."
A third user shared: "'You’re a world record holder now, how does that feel?' Dorothy: 'Like I’m old' Omg I love her," a fourth simply added: "Spoken like a true athlete!"
Before Hoffner, the record was held by Rut Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson from Sweden, according to Guinness World Records. She earned the title in May 2022 when she was 103.
The record is not official yet, but Fox 32 Chicago revealed that Skydive Chicago is currently working with Guinness to certify Hoffner's jump - which would make her the oldest parachutist in the world at 104 years old.
Congratulations to Hoffner!
