85-year-old Great-Grandmother Continues Skydiving

Kim Knor, an 85-year-old skydiver, strives to reach her goal of making 1,000 jumps by 2026.

Kim Knor and Instructor / ISKYDIVE DETROIT

At 85-years-old, Kim Knor set a goal to reach 1,000 jumps by 2026. In doing so, she will earn her United States Parachute Association Gold Wings, signifying her as having 1,000 jumps under her belt.

From a young age, Knor had a fascination with skydiving. At age 20, she began her skydiving journey. She is now an 85-year-old great-grandmother, continuing to live a life of adventure.

In 1962, Knor was part of the first U.S. Women’s Parachute Team. At the Sixth World Parachuting Championships, she and her team brought home gold. She is a member of the Skydiving Hall of Fame and remains active in the skydiving community. According to the International Skydiving Museum and Hall of Fame, Knor's interest in the sport began at age 5 when her uncle introduced her to a World War II military parachute. Since then, her passion and drive to pursue skydiving rapidly developed.

“This is the life, to retire and play in the sky,” Knor told Fox 2. “And look what I get to play with. This is so much fun.” Knor passed on a piece of wisdom, stating, “We have a lot of responsibilities with life and we’re always looking for a release, to go have fun,” she said. “That’s all part of living.”

Knor plans to continue chasing after her goal and will remain an inspiration to jumpers all around the world.