This badass lady didn't let her age stand in the way of a thrill.
Irene O'Shea became what seems to be the oldest person to skydive at 102 years old and 194 days. The previous oldest skydiver, according to news reports, was Kenneth Meyer, who landed a jump in 2017 at 102 years and 172 days.
On Sunday, O'Shea bundled up, boarded a helicopter, and while strapped to her instructor, she jumped out at 14,000 feet — all for a good cause.
After her daughter died of motor neuron disease — a degenerative disorder also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease — 10 years ago, O'Shea began raising awareness and funds for research. This is her third dive for the Motor Neurone Disease Association of South Australia. Her first was on her 100th birthday in 2016.
According to a report by SA Skydiving, the dive went perfectly.
O'Shea and her instructor Jed "completed a smooth, beautiful freefall ... through wispy clouds, before a smooth parachute opening."
"They then cruised around the beautiful skies above Langhorne Creek, enjoying the views of Lake Alexandrina, the Coorong, and the Murray Mouth," the report adds. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were waiting for her at the landing area with hugs.
Though O'Shea and Meyer beat the previously held world records, they aren't recorded in the Guinness World Records for respective female and male oldest tandem parachute jumpers. It's unclear why, but as Business Insider notes, there's an application process for the organization to review attempts at breaking records before they officially record it.
O'Shea doesn't think she's an "extraordinary adrenaline junkie." During an interview with Channel 9, she shrugged off the stunt with "As far as I'm concerned I'm the same as everybody else, just a normal person."
You can help O'Shea reach her $10,000 fundraising goal here.
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