Dorothy Hoffner, a 104-year-old Chicago lady whose current skydive might see her licensed by Guinness World Information because the oldest individual to ever bounce from a aircraft, has died.
Hoffner’s shut buddy, Joe Conant, stated she was discovered lifeless Monday morning by employees on the Brookdale Lake View senior residing neighborhood. Conant stated Hoffner apparently died in her sleep on Sunday evening.
Conant, who’s a nurse, stated he met Hoffner — whom he referred to as Grandma at her request — a number of years in the past whereas he was working as a caregiver for one more resident on the senior residing middle. He stated she had superb power and remained mentally sharp.
Chicago Tribune through Getty Pictures
“She was indefatigable. She simply stored going,” he stated Tuesday. “She was not somebody who would take naps within the afternoon, or not present up for any perform, dinner or anything. She was all the time there, totally current. She stored going, all the time.”
On Oct. 1, Hoffner made a tandem skydive that would land her within the document books because the world’s oldest skydiver. She jumped out of a aircraft from 13,500 ft (4,100 meters) at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois, 85 miles (140 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.
“Age is only a quantity,” Hoffner instructed a cheering crowd moments after touchdown. It was not her first time leaping from a aircraft — that occurred when she was a spry 100 years of age.
Conant stated he was working by way of paperwork to make sure that Guinness World Information certifies Hoffner posthumously because the world’s oldest skydiver, however he expects that may take a while. The present document was set in Could 2022 by 103-year-old Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson of Sweden.
Conant stated Hoffner didn’t skydive to interrupt a document. He stated she had so totally loved her first bounce that she simply needed to do it once more.
“She had no intention of breaking the document. And he or she had little interest in any publicity or something. She wasn’t doing it for every other purpose than she needed to go skydiving,” he stated.
Skydive Chicago and america Parachute Affiliation celebrated Hoffner in a joint assertion Tuesday.
“We’re deeply saddened by Dorothy’s passing and really feel honored to have been part of making her world-record skydive a actuality.
“Skydiving is an exercise that many people safely tuck away in our bucket lists. However Dorothy reminds us that it’s by no means too late to take the fun of a lifetime. We’re eternally grateful that skydiving was part of her thrilling, well-lived life,” they stated.
Conant stated Hoffner labored for greater than 4 many years as a phone operator with Illinois Bell, which later grew to become AT&T, and retired 43 years in the past. The lifelong Chicago resident by no means married, and Conant stated she had no rapid relations.
A memorial service for Hoffner will probably be held in early November.
“She was a pricey buddy who was an inspiration,” Conant stated.