The 104-year-old American woman, who recently set the world record for the oldest skydiver, passed away in her sleep at her Chicago home on Monday. Dorothy Hoffner, the celebrated centenarian who captured international acclaim for her skydiving feat, took a leap from an aircraft at Skydive Chicago Airport on October 1, shattering the Guinness World Record for the oldest tandem parachute jump. This record had been previously held by a 103-year-old Swedish woman from the year before.
Despite her advanced age, Dorothy Hoffner described her skydive as a serene and enjoyable experience. "There was nothing scary about it. It was nice and peaceful," she shared with the Chicago Sun-Times after touching down in Ottawa, approximately 80 miles southwest of Chicago.
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According to The Metro News, Ms Hoffner was found dead at the Brookdale Lake View senior living community by staff, her friend Joe Conant said. She is believed to have died on Sunday night.
A spokesperson for the Skydive Chicago and US Parachute Association told the newspaper they were honored that Hoffner's last dive wrapped up her 'exciting, well-lived life'.
'Skydiving is an activity that many of us safely tuck away in our bucket lists,' stated the spokesperson. 'But Dorothy reminds us that it's never too late to take the thrill of a lifetime.'
The New York Times reported that Ms. Hoffner was initially "not excited" about all the attention she received from the news media last week. But by the weekend, he said, the attention had grown on her because "she looked at it as an opportunity to meet new people."
The nurse, who had known Ms Hoffner for around five years, said Tuesday that the cause of death had yet to be determined.
