Dorothy Hoffner, a 104-year-old Chicago woman and centenarian who recently set a world record for being the oldest person ever to participate in a tandem skydive, has passed away just a week after her incredible jump.
Officials at the Brookdale Senior Living Center confirmed that Hoffner died in her sleep on Sunday night.
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Joe Conant, a close friend of Hoffner's and nurse at the facility, told The Associated Press that Hoffner had amazing energy and remained mentally sharp.
“She was indefatigable. She just kept going," he said Tuesday. “She was not someone who would take naps in the afternoon, or not show up for any function, dinner or anything else. She was always there, fully present. She kept going, always.”
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On Oct. 1, Hoffner set a record as the oldest skydiver when she made a tandem skydive at Skydive Chicago. She jumped from a plane, which was flying at roughly 10,000 feet, and safely landed.
That leap is still being confirmed by the Guinness Book of World Records, according to officials. It's expected to be certified posthumously. The current record was set by 103-year-old Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson of Sweden on May 2022.
“Skydiving is a wonderful experience, and it’s nothing to be afraid of,” Hoffner told NBC Chicago after her jump. “Just do it.”
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Officials at Skydive Chicago expressed their condolences, while saying they were proud to have been part of Dorothy’s big day.
“We are deeply saddened by Dorothy’s passing, and feel honored to have been part of making her world record skydive a reality,” a spokesperson for the company said. “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.”
