Everyday Hero: Woman, 80, achieves skydiving dream

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – We take you thousands of feet in the air as a Lowcountry woman sees her mom make a lifelong wish reality.

Deb Cradock lives in the Lowcountry. Her mother, 80-year-old Lorraine, lives in Maryland. For a while now she has always wanted to do a certain something.

“Well, for like 20-something years now she’s been talking about doing this. And we’ve, my brother, sister, and I, sort of ignored her and we kind of thought it would pass,” she said.

So, what was this thing she wanted to experience?

“I am gonna jump out of a plane,” said Lorraine.

Yep, that’s right. For decades Lorraine has wanted to skydive. And when the non-profit “Wish of a Lifetime” which grants life-changing wishes to older adults, came to her independent living facility and showed her dream could become a reality – she was all in.

Her three children, not so much.

“She told us, and we were like, no… She walks with a walker- so how are you going to do this? She’s had surgeries on her back, her knees, and all that type of thing,” said Cradock. “But she did it.”

As the plane climbed in the air, Lorraine said she was good to go.

“Apparently that was hard. She said during the plane ride she asked the instructor if it was too late to turn around,” Cradock said. “He said yes. But the plane ride, she said, was the scariest.”

And there was the moment – 20 years in the making – the moment Lorraine leaps.

Frightening at first, a nearly 50-second freefall, upwards of 125 miles an hour.

“That was terrifying,” said Cradock. “She said it felt whole ice being thrown at you- it was freezing. And once the parachute goes up, it was better, and she was able to enjoy it and enjoy the scenery and the peace of it all.”

 She added, “It was more than she expected. It was a lot harder than she expected. But now, a day or two later, she thinks it was great. She won’t do it again. She’s so glad she did it, so glad she checked it off her list.”

A one-and-done experience for Lorraine. She’s now back on the ground safely with the friends and family who came to support her. Proving that following your dream is a good thing.

“It really teaches you to go after it. It really doesn’t matter how old you are. You have friends there supporting you. We’re proud of her.”

An experience no one in her family will ever forget.