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Chicago has been home to many heroes - Michael Jordan, Michelle Obama and even Oprah. But the windy has hosted the spryest of legends: 104-year-old Dorothy Hoffner. This audacious centenarian, who just recently passed away, wasn't counting her days but making her days count—by skydiving, no less! She didn't do it for the records or the fame; she did it because the thrill of free-falling from 13,500 feet apparently beats sipping tea on the porch. From her days connecting calls as a telephone operator to connecting with the sky in her 100s, Dorothy's zest for life was, simply put, unparalleled.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the life of Dorothy Hoffner—a soul that captured the essence of living fully, no matter the age. May her spirited life inspire us to break our own bounds and live each day as a heavenly gift, unfettered by the earthly limits of time or age. Amen.

Legends Never Die:
Homage to Dorothy Hoffner, The 104-year-old Skydiver

The sky over Chicago has seen its share of legends—Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, and now, Dorothy Hoffner. You see, Dorothy was no ordinary 104-year-old; she was, quite possibly, the most spry centenarian you'd ever meet.

An Inspiring Life Lived to the Fullest
Dorothy Hoffner, who could very well be certified by the Guinness World Records as the oldest person to ever jump out of an airplane, passed away earlier this week. According to Joe Conant, her close friend and nurse, she was found peacefully asleep at the Brookdale Lake View senior living community. And let's be clear: we're talking about a woman who essentially laughed in the face of gravity at an age when many would barely dare to walk unassisted.

Living in the Present
Dorothy wasn't the kind to let life pass her by while she sipped tea on the porch. "She was indefatigable. She just kept going," Conant remarked. When it comes to redefining "active senior lifestyle," Dorothy takes the cake.

Falling for the Thrill
Earlier this month, Dorothy decided that the skies were calling her name once again. After her first skydive at a "spry 100 years of age," she made her second dive from 13,500 feet at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Illinois at 104, making her the oldest person to ever skydive. Now, let's not get it twisted; she didn't do it for the records or the headlines. She did it because she loved it. According to Conant, "She had no intention of breaking the record… she just wanted to go skydiving."

A Career of Connection
Before she was connecting with the skies, Dorothy connected calls as a telephone operator for Illinois Bell (now AT&T) for over four decades. After retiring 43 years ago, she didn't decide to pack it in and call it a day. No, she had skydiving to do, records to accidentally break, and a life to live fully.

"Forever Grateful"
Skydive Chicago and the United States Parachute Association expressed their condolences, stating, "We are deeply saddened by Dorothy’s passing and feel honored to have been a part of making her world-record skydive a reality."

The Grand Finale
Dorothy, who never married and leaves behind no immediate family members, will be memorialized in a service this November. Conant, her dear friend, simply put it, "She was an inspiration."

Reflection
The Apostle Paul talks about running the race with perseverance, keeping our eyes on the prize of the higher calling (Philippians 3:14). Dorothy Hoffner embodied that spirit to the very end. Her age was not a limitation but a testament to the vivacious spirit that God had blessed her with. While the average person may look at old age as a period of slowing down, the Christian view could be somewhat different: each day is a new opportunity to bring glory to God, to explore the gifts He has given us, and to touch the lives of others.

The passing of Dorothy Hoffner is not just the end of a life but the conclusion of a powerful testimony. It teaches us all to never grow complacent, no matter our age. For as the Bible says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

So, in memory of Dorothy, let us strive to finish our own races with the same level of passion, gusto, and, dare I say, altitude.

Godspeed, Dorothy. We pray you've landed safely into the arms of our Creator.

Thank you for joining us today on PRAY NEWS. It is our aim to be informed and transformed. We pray today you will proceed with hope, love, and determination to be a force for good.