DENVER (KCNC) — Kim Knor has been skydiving most of her life. Her first jump was in 1959 when she was 20 years old. Knor says she was in Chicago when she first overheard a group of Army reservists talk about a skydiving club.
Almost Immediately her interest was piqued and soon, Knor learned this team needed her just as much as she needed them.
"They didn't have any American team for the World Champions. They had men going but not women," said Knor.
And she was off -- skydiving across America, Europe and beyond. Making best friends and even better memories.
"When I got a job in Washington, the guy that defected my 'chute in 1962 was from Yugoslavia and a friend of ours in Washington got us back together, and we got married in three months," said Knor.
One day Knor's husband had a bad accident testing parachutes. After that, she vowed she would no longer skydive. And she didn't -- for 37 years.
"My husband died and the kids were growing up and then the grandkids started coming and I started jumping again," she said.
Knor has nearly 600 jumps under her belt and says she hopes to complete 1,000 jumps in her lifetime. At 84 years old, she continues to dive and share this experience with her loved ones.
"Today's jump is exciting because I'm taking my youngest grandson is taking his first jump," said Knor.
"I'm just following tradition of everyone in our family jumping with her for the first time," said John Norsen, Knor's grandson.
Knor says she would encourage anyone of any age to go skydiving.
"I feel fantastic! I mean, this is what I live for," she said. "Anytime life gets too difficult or too sad just go make a jump and then everything's good!"
