A 102-year-old woman has taken the internet by storm by proving that age is just a number. Briton Manette Baillie celebrated her milestone birthday in a way that left social media users in awe – by skydiving from 7,000 feet.
This made Baillie Britain’s oldest skydiver.
The video of Baillie’s incredible feat was shared by Dailymail on Instagram and shows the moment she jumped out of a small plane. In the clip, she can be seen fearlessly jumping out of the plane with her instructor and soaring through the skies with a serene smile.
When they landed safely, the people around them cheered and clapped, visibly moved by the centenarian’s courage.
A man’s voice is heard asking her, “How was that?” to which Baillie replies with a smile, “It was wonderful.”
Baillie, who also served in the women’s division of the British Royal Navy in Egypt during World War II, told the Guardian shortly before the jump: “You always have to look for something new. I was once married to a paratrooper, but I have never done a parachute jump myself.”
Watch the video here:
Baillie told Sky News about her experience immediately after the jump: “When the door opened, I thought there was nothing more I could do or say. Just jump.”
“I remember my legs giving out and it’s kind of a blur. I closed my eyes. It seemed like we were traveling at very high speed,” Baillie added.
She also revealed that the idea came to her when she heard about a friend’s 85-year-old father who had done a skydive.
“If an 85-year-old man can do it, so can I,” she said at the time, according to a Guardian report.
With his jump, Baillie beat the record for Britain’s oldest skydiver, previously held by Verdun Hayes of Devon, who attempted the jump at the age of 101 years and 38 days.
Manette Baillie’s daring skydive has inspired viewers around the world to embrace life’s adventures, regardless of age.
