When most people reach retirement age, their pace of life begins to slow down. It's inevitable really, but the vast majority of people exercise less and less as they get older, and they tend to avoid unnecessary excitement and risk. The majority of seniors are content to play it safe and put their feet up. They certainly wouldn't want to become some kind of daredevil in their twilight years.
However, 76-year-old former taxi driver Ray Woodcock is the exception to that rule. Despite being a grandfather and great-grandfather, Ray (who hails from Essex in England) has devoted his retirement to performing death-defying stunts, such as HALO jumps, bungee jumping, and mountain climbing. Now he plans to set himself on fire and bungee 500 ft to put himself out again.
Ray's achievements are as numerous as they are impressive. He climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in just five days when he was in his 60s, sledged 250km, between Norway and Sweden, explored the Borneo Jungle with a local tribe and trekked through Death Valley for 14 days to raise money for charity. For his 70th birthday Ray decided to equal a world record by skydiving from 30,000 ft in the air, and since then he's managed to break two Guinness World Records for the highest bungee jump into water in 2015.
Commenting on his insane stunts, Woodcock stated: "I love a challenge and just because I’m older, it doesn’t mean I should be held back. I never thought I would be a world record holder in my 70s, but every challenge makes me just want to go a step further. I’m always looking for something more extreme and I read about this online and just thought – yep, that’s the one."
"I’ve done the highest bungee jump into water in the world, but adding the fire makes it even more exciting. I love these challenges and the rush they bring. I am actually a bit scared of heights, so get a bit nervous when I am up there, but it’s worth it. I really want to do it as soon as possible, but getting funding for a 76-year-old isn’t always easy."
He added: "I think companies assume my insurance will be sky high, but I know I’ll manage it. Once I get to a point where I’m too old to do the challenges myself, I want to work as an inspirational speaker, to go out and inspire other older people to do things like this. I want to show that you’re never too old to do anything if you put your mind to it."
Personally, I think Ray is setting a good example for us all, young or old - don't be afraid to take a plunge every once in a while. If you'd like to keep up-to-date with Ray's feats, then check out his website here for more updates.
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