Defying age and gravity, 104-year-old Dorothy Hoffner from Chicago leapt into the record books—literally—by skydiving from the skies over northern Illinois, potentially becoming the oldest person ever to skydive.
Leaving her walker behind, Hoffner made a tandem jump at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, located about 85 miles southwest of Chicago. After safely landing, she was greeted by cheers and applause from the gathered crowd.
“Age is just a number,” she said with a smile, receiving a hero’s welcome.
The current Guinness World Record for the oldest skydiver is held by 103-year-old Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson from Sweden, who achieved the feat in May 2022. Skydive Chicago is now coordinating with Guinness World Records to certify Hoffner’s jump as a new world record.
The daring leap has inspired people worldwide and stands as a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to chase adventure—and the sky’s the limit.
