N.S. woman celebrates 80th birthday by skydiving

In an extraordinary celebration of her 80th birthday, Margaret Sullivan set out to defy gravity and conquer the skies.

For years, Margaret Sullivan has wanted to plunge out of a plane and free fall.

“When I was a teenager, a young man took me out on a plane. I just loved it. I love flying!” she exclaimed.

Now as she enters her ninth decade, she is checking off the long-held item from her bucket list.

“I’ve been telling everyone I’m turning 80 so I want to go skydiving, something part of my bucket list.”

Leading up to her birthday, Sullivan’s niece and her husband decided to book the jump at Atlantic Skydiving in Maitland, N.S.

Three generations of the Sullivan family came to witness the jump and celebrate her birthday, travelling from Newfoundland and Manitoba.

“She’s been telling everybody, ‘I’m going on my 80th,’ so I was like, ‘Well, guess we’re going to watch grandma jump out of a plane,” laughed Glen Sullivan, Margaret’s son.

Some family members are nervous, especially Sullivan’s grandchildren, but she is fearless.

“If somebody says, ‘What if something happens?’ Well then I’ll go down with shmuck and just say [to them] to say ‘way to go, Grandma,’” said Sullivan.

After an hour of waiting, Sullivan was harnessed and securely buckled in the plane.

The plane then lifted 10,000 feet above ground.

After 15 minutes, the family gathered around the drop zone and cheered as Sullivan descended from the plane and landed swiftly on the ground.

Once she landed, her grandchildren ran to her with excitement.

“I seen you turn in the air and my heart was just wow,” said her grandson as he welcomed her back with a big hug.

Sullivan could not stop grinning.

“It was wonderful! It was so cool!”

To celebrate, the family later popped some bubbly and continued the celebration of Sullivan’s life.

Sullivan said more adventures are already in the works with plans to go for a swim in Cape Sable Island and explore the Northern Territories in Canada -- with hopes to complete all of it before she turns 90.