In a thrilling celebration of her 102nd birthday, Manette Baillie from Suffolk, England, has become the oldest person in Britain to skydive. She took a leap from an airplane over Beccles to mark her special day and to support three charities she cares about.
Baillie, who has lived in Benhall Green since 1961, has always loved adventure. During World War II, she served in Egypt with the Women’s Royal Navy Service and was married to a paratrooper. For her 100th birthday, she even drove a Ferrari at an impressive speed of 209 km/h.
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Before her skydive, Baillie shared her excitement, saying, “When the door opened, I thought, there is nothing more I can do or say. Just jump. Well I suppose I jumped. I remember my legs going out, and it's a kind of blur. I shut my eyes. We seemed to travel at a very fast speed.”
She’s been raising funds for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and the Benhall and Sternfield Ex-servicemen’s and Village Club. So far, she’s collected over ₹11 lakh (£10,000) of her ₹33 lakh (£30,000) goal.
Her friend Humphrey Hawksley described her as “fearless,” adding that she doesn’t dwell on problems. A large crowd gathered to watch Baillie’s daring jump, which has now gone viral, showing that age is no barrier to adventure.
