102-Year-Old Irene O’Shea Becomes Oldest Person to Skydive, Raises Awareness for Motor Neurone Disease

By  //  December 24, 2018

Irene completed her first skydive with the team at SA Skydiving for her 100th birthday in 2016

ABOVE VIDEO: Irene O’Shea is an inspiring woman, living her life to the fullest with incredible humility.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Irene O’Shea, 102 years old, is an inspiring woman, living her life to the fullest with incredible humility. Irene has a personal connection with South Australian charity, the Motor Neurone Disease Association of South Australia.

Irene’s daughter sadly lost her fight with MND years ago and Irene decided that a lifetime dream of hers to skydive would be the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and money for MNDSA.

Irene completed her first skydive for her 100th birthday in 2016.

She then returned in 2017, in a larger fundraising event with MNDSA, this time to become the oldest female skydiver in the World. The skydive went smoothly and she landed herself in the record books and set the stage for 2018 to go one better.

Irene’s main wish is to raise as much awareness and money as possible for MNDSA.

After a refresher with her skydiving partner Jed, Irene spoke about MNDSA with the Today Show’s Georgia Westgarth, before gearing up in specialized harnesses. SA Skydiving’s specialized harness allows Jed to assist Irene in raising her legs, mitigating risk on landing.

Irene, Jed and cameramen, Bryce Sellick and Matt Teager, headed to the plane, Irene giving out hugs to multiple generations before boarding. They waved with big excited smiles as the plane taxied up the runway. Irene was full of smiles and excitement on the ride up to just over 14,000 feet, getting a supply of fresh oxygen from SA Skydiving instructors.

Irene’s daughter sadly lost her fight with MND years ago and Irene decided that a lifetime dream of hers to skydive would be the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and money for MNDSA. (SA Skydiving image)

The four skydivers did their final safety and gear checks before opening the door and moving into their exit positions; thumbs up all around, then ready, set, go!

Irene and Jed completed a smooth, beautiful freefall, falling at 137 miles per hour through wispy clouds, before a smooth parachute opening.

Friends and family excitedly waited on the ground for Irene and Jed, who executed a perfectly smooth landing.

Irene, once safely, was assisted from the landing area into the arms of some very excited grandkids and great grandkids. Excited congratulations were shared all around as Irene and the SA Skydiving team secured their place in the record books.

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