Provided by The Arbor Company | Photography by Mark Gilvey
Six residents, ages 54 to 95, proved that adventure has no age limit with an indoor skydiving experience Sept. 16.
What happens when a 95-year-old thrill seeker, a former federal agent with paratrooper training, a Navy veteran and three other adventurous senior living residents decide they want to fly? They go skydiving, of course!
On Wednesday, Sept. 16, six residents from Arbor Terrace Sudley Manor took to the air at iFLY as part of an Arbor Dream, an initiative from The Arbor Company designed to help residents pursue meaningful experiences and unforgettable adventures.
Coming on the heels of Grandparents Day and during National Assisted Living Week, the outing offers a different picture of aging that is filled with adventure, possibility and a willingness to keep saying “yes” to new experiences.
Meet the Senior Sky Divers:
- Pam Lindholm, 95, is a self-described thrill seeker who loves pushing the limits when demonstrating what it means to be young at heart.
- Bob Ferguson, 85, recently lost his wife and is approaching this experience as part of discovering what life still has in store for him.
- Mike Michael, 82, is a Navy veteran taking flight the day after his birthday as a chance to bring back some of the excitement and adrenaline of his active-duty days.
- Matty Gladstone, 81, says she has a “spice for life” and wants to experience it fully and earn her title of “the cool Grandma!”
- Paula Wirth, 78, is excited to take part in an adventure without allowing her tremors to define what she can experience.
- Ellyna Larson, 54, is a former federal agent who underwent paratrooper training earlier in life and is looking forward to experiencing the feeling of flight once again.
All six of them went skydiving – and said when they were done: “We all want to come back!”
