Verdun Hayes just made history, as the 101-year-old man became the world’s oldest tandem skydiver. At 101 years and 37 days old, Hayes jumped out of a plane 15,000 feet above the ground in Devon, England. The previous record holder was young whippersnapper Armand Gendreau, who skydived at 10,000 feet at the age of 101 years and three days old.
Watch Verdun smash the record in the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxwpudpSLhI
What a badass. I’ve always wanted to skydive, but being a cheap, lazy sissy has prevented me from taking the plunge. Watching Hayes have so much damn fun has my wheels turning about planning a jump this summer, though.
Via the HuffPost, here are more details on how Hayes came to be a world record holder.
Hayes said he got the idea to skydive around the time he turned 90 years old, but his wife wouldn’t let him. She has since died, according to The Guardian.
Hayes, a World War II veteran, took his first jump last year to celebrate his centenarian birthday.
“A lot of people ask me how I’ve lived so long,” he told The Telegraph. “I’d say, ‘Just keep breathing!’”
Hayes made this year’s jump to raise money for the Royal British Legion, a veterans support group. Ten members of his family also made leaps as part of the event.
I love that piece of marriage advice. Just wait till your wife croaks, then you can do whatever the hell you want.
But seriously, Hayes is the f*cking man. He’s got cajones the size of melons, and it’s awesome he was able to use his passion for skydiving to raise money for a good cause.
