To Our Last Breath

At The 100 Year Lifestyle we have long said that your healthy longevity is birthright time, not borrowed time. We all deserve to be healthy from our first breath to our last breath of life. Who doesn’t want to have the health to enjoy every moment of their life to the fullest?

Dorothy’s Story

When she turned 100, Dorothy Hoffner went skydiving for the first time. She also decided that the next time she did it would be different. She wanted to set a world record. So, at the age of 104, Dorothy went skydiving for the second time. And became the oldest skydiver in the world.

Taking a bow after she landed, she thanked the crowd for being there and hinted that a third jump and a hot air balloon ride might be part of her future plans. “Age is only a number, you know,” she said to reporters.

And there were a lot of reporters present that day. In fact, Dorothy’s adventure was covered by dozens of international media outlets. People were amazed and inspired by her zest for life. She became an overnight phenomenon.

Then, a mere 10 days later, Dorothy again was in the news. She peacefully passed in her sleep in her home. The day Dorothy died she had an interview scheduled with a German magazine wanting to speak to her about her skydiving record.

Friends say that she didn’t care much for the record or the focus on her age. She thought it all was “ridiculous.” “What has age go do with what you’re doing?” Hoffner asked the Chicago Sun-Times when they interviewed her following her jump. “I’m 104 years old. So what?”

The Skydive Chicago and U.S. Parachute Association made a statement upon Dorothy’s passing. “Skydiving is an activity that many of us safely tuck away in our bucket lists. But Dorothy reminds us that it’s never too late to take the thrill of a lifetime.”

It’s Never Too Late

What’s on your bucket list? What are you waiting for? Do you think life has passed you by? We would all be served by taking a page out of Dorothy’s book of life. It’s never too late.