Rappelling Penn State's Beaver Stadium, at Age 103

George Etzweiler, a retired Penn State professor and local running legend, completes another achievement in an 'amazing' life.

Alexis Yoder/Success With Honor

George Etzweiler apologized for not being able to call rappelling down Penn State's Beaver Stadium the most exhilarating experience of his life. A safety crew affixed his harness and attached the ropes, then lowered him over the concourse wall beneath the south end-zone scoreboard, and he floated 4 minutes to the ground. The view was lovely, and his friend and personal trainer rappelled above him, so that was fun. But Etzweiler remained fairly nonchalant about rappelling Beaver Stadium, which was no more amazing, he said, because he's 103 years old. 

In fact, Etzweiler said the experience's most surprising moment happened when he touched down. As part of an NIL appearance with the Success With Honor collective, a group of Penn State football players posed for photos with rappellers, including Etzweiler. Though more of a soccer fan, Etzweiler appreciated the players' gesture as he looked toward what's next.

"I wasn't quite sure why they were there, but they decided they wanted a picture with me, which was kind of amazing," Etzweiler said. "Of course, I have to admit my whole life’s been amazing to me."

Etzweiler, a retired Penn State electrical engineering professor and State College running legend, joined a group of thrillseekers and football fans May 19 to rappel Beaver Stadium. The Centre County United Way partnered with Over the Edge, a company that organizes urban rappelling trips, to bring the event to Penn State's campus. Though he admittedly has slowed recently, and still has some movement limitations after breaking both shoulders in recent years, Etzweiler liked the idea and the cause. His wife Mary, who passed away in 2010, had a service spirit and was an active volunteer in the region. So Etzweiler asked a friend to go rappelling.

On a bright Friday morning, Etzweiler and Berta DeDonato stood on the Beaver Stadium concourse, ready to make their way over the side. DeDonato, co-owner of Ki'netik Fitness in State College, has been training Etzweiler for seven years, guiding him through workouts that still include sled pushes, incline bench presses and squats. So when Etzweiler asks, whether to go on a mountain walk or a rappelling adventure, DeDonato usually says yes.

"I figured, 'George is going to do this, so I'll be OK,'" DeDonato said.

(That's Etzweiler, in the red jacket, and DeDonato in the video.)

But for Etzweiler, rappelling wasn't new. He had twice participated in State College rappelling fundraisers at ages 98 and 99 and knew what to expect. So he would rather talk about running. He and Mary began running in the 1960s, and Etzweiler completed the New York City Marathon in 1987 at age 67. After that, he turned his attention to the Mount Washington Road Race in New Hampshire. In 2018, at age 98, Etzweiler became the oldest finisher of the 7.6-mile race up the highest peak in the Northeast United States. He has completed the race 13 times, owns eight age-group records and was inducted into the event's Hall of Fame in 2016.

Etzweiler also serves as captain of "The Old Men of the Mountains," a club of 65+ runners that trains and races at Tussey Mountain near the Penn State campus. In October, Etzweiler hopes to return for the annual Tussey Mountainback, an ultramarathon event that includes a 50-mile team relay. His goal is to finish a 3.4-mile leg that he completed last year on an eight-runner team. Part of his training includes mile-long out-and-back walks three times a week on the roads surrounding Tussey Mountain. The day after rappelling, Etzweiler was back on the mountain.

"Back in my 90s I'd do two legs, but I've been doing only one recently," he said. "I hope to do that leg again this year. I got it done standing up last year with two nice women hanging onto my arms."

When he and Mary were married in 1942, Etzweiler was working as an electrician in Lewistown but felt the pull of the draft during World War II and enlisted in the Navy. Etzweiler served as a fire control technician, and taught the discipline in San Diego, before returning to work as an electrician.

Though he wanted to be a college physics teacher, Etzweiler put his skills as an electrician to use. He got an electrical engineering degree from Penn State, where he later became a professor. At Penn State, Etzweiler served as an adviser for countless students. Among them was Matt Bahr, the former Penn State and NFL kicker whom Etzweiler knew better as a gifted soccer player.

Though not much of a football fan, Etzweiler has been to Beaver Stadium twice this spring. He participated in the 2-mile walk as part of this year's Paterno Family Beaver Stadium Run in April. Then he rappelled off the side of the stadium a month later.

"There are definitely some people out there who could not keep up with George," DeDonato said.

All things considered, Etzweiler said his health is "tremendous" on an age-graded scale. He underwent bypass surgery at age 80 and now works out five days a week. Etzweiler follows what's known as a Blue Zones diet, which incorporates the mostly plant-based eating habits of global regions with the highest percentage of centenarians. He also lives with gratitude.

"I’ve felt that I’ve certainly had excellent luck all my life with work and family," he said. "I've just had tremendous good fortune."

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