A 101-year-old professional daredevil has set a world record for the oldest skydiver.
The World War II veteran Bryson William Verdun Hayes, who fought during the 1944 Normandy, performed a tandem jump at 101 years and 38 days old, the British company Skydive Buzz says.
In 2014, Armand Gendreau currently holds the record for the oldest man to do a tandem parachute jump, at 101 years and 3 days old, Guinness World Record says.
They had yet established that he set a world record, but are already aware of the attempt, according to their spokeswoman.
Hayes, who claims he doesn’t feel nervous for his dive, has piloted gliders before, been a county champion runner and even escaped a small hot air balloon in his 80s. He also tries to keep his mind busy, diddling in photography, woodwork, and swimming.
The veteran used the jump to raise money for the Royal British Legion.
Hayes attributes his long life to his late spouse Hilda, who passed away 6 years ago at the age of 95.
He fought in World War II but was not sent directly since his abilities as a constructor required for the war effort back home.
He was then sent in 1942 to Normandy to take part of the Operation Overlord.
Four generations of the Hayes family entered in the skydiving journey at an England airfield — from him down to his great-grandkids.
The British skydiving company published a video of the expedition, revealing Hayes getting to the sky, gliding to earth and lazing down, happy following the jump.
