WWII nurse from Florida celebrates 100th birthday by skydiving

SEBASTIAN, Fla. — A former World War II nurse realized a lifetime dream on Monday, skydiving from a plane flying over Florida’s east coast near her hometown.

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And Raymonde Sullivan, of Sebastian, has had quite a life -- she recently celebrated her 100th birthday, WPTV reported.

“I had never done it, and I’ve done a lot of things in 100 years so I thought I must do it while I can,” Sullivan told the television station. “It’s scary, I would say it is.”

Sullivan’s milestone jump was filmed by Skydive Sebastian, WPEC-TV reported. Sullivan jumped out of the plane in a tandem dive over Port St. Lucie, located about 30 miles south of Sebastian.

When asked if she would jump again, Sullivan demurred.

Instead, she went to celebrate at The Castle, a party venue in Fort Pierce, with friends and family, according to WPTV.

Originally from England, Sullivan served on the front lines during World War II in the medical corps, WPEC reported.

Sullivan’s jump is noteworthy, but it is not a world record. According to Guinness World Records, the oldest woman to perform a tandem jump was Kathryn “Kitty” Hodges, who was 103 years, 129 days old when she jumped from a plane in Snohomish, Washington, on Aug. 15, 2019.

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