A 104-year-old woman dies before Guinness can confirm her record as oldest skydiver

By Ayana Archie

Published October 11, 2023 at 7:15 PM EDT

Dorothy Hoffner, 104, went skydiving Oct. 1 and could hold the record for the oldest person to jump from a plane. She died Monday, likely in her sleep, Brookdale Senior Living said in a statement.

A 104-year-old woman has died a little more than a week after she potentially broke the world record for the oldest skydiver.

Dorothy Hoffner jumped 13,500 feet from a plane with Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, Ill., on Oct. 1. She likely died in her sleep Monday at Brookdale Senior Living, the center said.

"The associates at Brookdale Lake View are deeply saddened by the passing of our resident, Dorothy Hoffner," the statement said. " We were thrilled to see her continue to live with passion and purpose, skydiving earlier this month at 104 and ultimately proving that age is just a number. She will be greatly missed by our entire community."

Guinness World Records is still working to confirm if Hoffner broke the record for the oldest person to jump from a plane. The current record belongs to Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson of Sweden, who was 103 when she made a jump in 2022, The Associated Press reported.

Hoffner made her first jump at the age of 100.

A memorial service for her will be held next month, the AP said.