Group of Texas seniors goes skydiving


Baby Boomers have many goals when it comes to retirement: it may be to stop working at the age of 55, or to move to an exotic beach destination in retirement, or even perhaps to spend their retirement years volunteering for a local charity. But one group of seniors from an Austin assisted living community have taken retirement to a new level: 11,000 feet, to be more precise.

As reported recently by the Austin American-Statesman newspaper, nine residents of Querencia Barton Creek senior living community in Austin, Texas, recently went skydiving in an experience of a lifetime. All the residents were in their 70s, 80s or 90s.

According to the newspaper, the community’s executive director Ross Dickmann suggested the excursion to residents in July, and before long he had assembled a group of seniors who wanted to take to the skies.

“We believe aging is a celebration process, instead of the end,” he told the Statesman. “It's all about ‘Why can't we' instead of following the rules.”

One of the fearless skydivers, 98 year-old Herb Green, had family accompaniment on his adventure: he was joined by two granddaughters, who told the newspaper that they wanted to join their grandfather for the event.