Thrill seeking senior-citizens go skydiving



GRAND HAVEN, Mich. - A group of seniors crossed an item off their bucket lists after they jumped out of a plane, according to WXMI.

Four women from the Sparta Senior Neighbors Center made the trip to Grand Haven Sky Diving Saturday afternoon to jump out of a plane.  The trip was planned by the center as an effort to incorporate more active outings into their residents' lives.

One of the women jumping Saturday was Vivian Lidermore. The 86-year-old is a three-time cancer survivor who says she is now going blind.  Regardless, she was looking forward to jumping from a plane, saying, "this is something I've wanted to do for a long time and I never had the nerve to do it. Today is the day.  I'm getting too old to wait."

Going up in two small groups, the four women all went through with their jumps and safely stuck their landings.  Smiles were wide on their faces as each of the women landed and made their way over to friends and family.

Another woman who jumped Saturday, Donna Vanoeffelen, said she was even eager to do it all again. "My 11-year-old granddaughter wanted to go, but you have to be 18. The day I turn 80, she will be 18, so we'll go together then."

Senior Neighbors Center tells us they are planning additional adrenaline-packed outings in the near future that could include parasailing and bungee jumping.