Every week after the skydive, which she described as “glorious,” Hoffner died in her sleep someday between Sunday night time and Monday morning at her Chicago senior residing heart, in step with her shut buddy Joe Conant. Conant informed The Washington Submit that Hoffner’s loss of life was once sudden, however he’s happy that she beloved her ultimate days.
“After learning that she was once atmosphere a global document, she wasn’t taken with that in any respect,” stated Conant, 62. “She was once simply having a look ahead to going skydiving.”
Hoffner grew up in Chicago and labored as a phone operator for Illinois Bell, which later become a part of AT&T, for greater than 4 many years, Conant stated. She by no means married or had kids, Conant stated, however she loved seaside holidays in Mexico and riding her blue Dodge Coronet.
Hoffner had lived within the Brookdale Lake View senior residing heart for kind of the previous decade, Conant stated. Conant, a nurse, met Hoffner in 2017 when he began taking care of a person there. Conant stated he and his affected person had been understanding when foods had been served when Hoffner invited them to consume brunch together with her within the eating space.
The trio ate dinner in combination nearly each and every night time, and Hoffner began calling Conant her grandson, Conant stated. Hoffner was once identified for wearing sweet — Heath bars, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and dark-chocolate Hershey’s Kisses — in her walker. She stayed energetic, strolling 4½ blocks to the grocer a couple of occasions per week and happening walks to get a take a look at the community’s canines, Conant stated. She watched each and every Chicago Cubs recreation on a TV in her room and likewise loved observing “M*A*S*H” reruns, Conant stated.
In 2019, Conant informed Hoffner over dinner that he was once going skydiving at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa. When Hoffner stated she sought after to return, Conant concept she supposed as an observer.
“No, no, no, I wish to soar out of a aircraft,” Conant recalled Hoffner announcing.
Conant apprehensive Hoffner would injure herself, however he stated Hoffner cherished the revel in.
This April, Hoffner informed Conant that she sought after to skydive once more. Conant noticed that Guinness International Data indexed a 103-year-old girl from Sweden who jumped from a aircraft in Might 2022 because the oldest individual to skydive.
“I had no query in my thoughts that she may just maintain it,” Conant stated. “If she may just do it when she was once 100, she may just do it when she was once 104, as a result of she gave the impression of the very same individual.”
Forward of the skydive, native information retailers reported on Hoffner, who didn’t just like the exposure, Conant stated. She joked with Conant that she was once going to offer him a black eye if she needed to do interviews, Conant stated. However she grew to love the eye as she constructed relationships with newshounds, Conant stated.
On Oct. 1, about 75 spectators arrived at Skydive Chicago’s hangar as Hoffner driven her crimson walker towards a white Skyvan aircraft. She left her walker out of doors of the aircraft as instructors helped her climb the stairs. She strapped on goggles as she ready to leap.
Wind driven again her white hair as she fell. Her favourite a part of the revel in was once when her trainer launched the parachute, sending them upper into the air, Conant stated. Plus, she cherished how the Fox River appeared like a small line from the sky, Conant stated.
After circling within the air for roughly seven mins, Hoffner landed at the grass. Instructors helped her get up, and she or he regained stability together with her walker.
“Age is only a quantity,” she informed spectators, in step with the Related Press.
Different individuals who had been skydiving posed for footage together with her, Conant stated. Hoffner was once beaten with media consideration, telling Conant that she now knew “how the royals really feel,” Conant stated.
That night, Hoffner and Conant went to the Lone Buffalo in Ottawa, the place Hoffner ate a salad with hen and shared a lager with Conant. Tomorrow, Hoffner’s cousins visited her and had been stunned once they noticed her image within the Chicago Tribune, Conant stated. Hoffner hadn’t informed them she had skydived.
Nationwide publications picked up her tale, however Hoffner, who didn’t personal a cellular phone, gave the impression nonchalant concerning the consideration, Conant stated. Conant stated he’s completing bureaucracy to put up Hoffner’s skydive to Guinness International Data.
Conant stated he spoke with Hoffner on Sunday. They had been making plans to consume dinner on the senior residing heart the following night whilst she finished extra interviews.
However Conant stated he was once stunned when the residing heart’s director informed him Monday that he had discovered Hoffner useless that morning.
“I in point of fact was once anticipating to move skydiving together with her once more when she was once 105,” Conant stated.
