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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Comment
Rhik Samadder

Rebellious, irascible, horny. Older people are reassuringly off the rails these days

Dorothy Hoffner, 104, who died in her sleep a week after her record-setting skydive with tandem jumper Derek Baxter.
Dorothy Hoffner, 104, who died in her sleep a week after her record-setting skydive with tandem jumper Derek Baxter. Photograph: Daniel Wilsey/AP

I was fascinated to read about retired Chicagoan telephone operator Dorothy Hoffner, who died in her sleep a week after a record-breaking skydive. What’s the most impressive number in this story? The 31,500 feet Hoffner dove from, or the fact that she was going to be 105 years old in December?

To me, it’s that this was her second skydive; she took her first when she was a sprightly 100 years old. The latest dive was reportedly spurred by her desire “to lead the jump, rather than be pushed out”. Old people are off the rails these days.

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