Lorraine Gerson, at the age of 80 years old, went sky diving for the first time in her life, with some help from AARP.
Gerson, who lives in Olney, Massachusetts, is set to turn 81 years-old in just a few months. According to PEOPLE, she has dreamed of sky diving ever since taking a hot air balloon ride 24 years ago. Making any dream a reality can often bring along with some complications. In Gerson's case, most of the hassle was handled by a third-party. Gerson's sky dive was orchestrated via her participation in AARP's "Wish of a Lifetime."
Tom Wagenlander is the Vice President and Executive Director of Wish of a Lifetime. Wagenlander said in a statement that Wish of a Lifetime is dedicated to highlighting the power of healthy aging in Americans. To do so, the outfit is making wishes like Lorraine's come true all across the county.
Wagenlander noted that everyone was thrilled to watch as Lorraine descended from the sky and toward her onlooking support system of family and friends. Gerson, to her credit, did find some humor in the event. "We had the funeral home lined up," said Gerson with a good-hearted chuckle.
80 Year-Old Massachusetts Woman Fulfills Dream of Skydiving
Hilariously, Gerson summed up her sky dive in one word after returning safely to the ground: "Great."
While there was certainly plenty happening during her dive, she reportedly appeared calm and focussed throughout the experience. Moreover, Gerson shared that while in the air, she enjoyed her feelings of "peace." Likewise, when asked if she would suggest sky diving to others, Gerson said in a matter-of-fact manner that she would "if they like airplanes."
Such seems to be quite on brand for Gerson. From the little we can learn of her from this one experience, she seems to be a woman who gets things done. Despite her age, she accomplished a goal without too much fuss. She remained calm as she fell through the sky and toward earth. And when asked about the entire experience, she didn't waste much breath with her one word answer. Only after being peppered with follow-up questions did she expand on the experience, and even then she remained concise.
