From gold medal to ‘Gold Wings’: 86-year-old skydiver’s mission to 1,000 skydives nears historic finish

At 86 years old, Kim Knor is proving that age has no limits as she closes in on her lifelong goal of making 1,000 skydives. (Credit: WFTS via CNN Newsource)

It’s kind of late, but I still did it.

At 86 years old, Kim Knor is proving that age has no limits as she closes in on her lifelong goal of making 1,000 skydives, a milestone that will earn her the United States Parachute Association Gold Wings.

In this Digital Original, Tampa Bay 28’s Frances Lin, spoke with Knor about her journey.

“I started out in 1959, and it’s been a long journey,” said Knor.

Frances is also a skydiver and jumps often in her free time. She was there for Knor’s 999th jump Sunday morning on Oct. 26 at Skydive City in Zephyrhills, and accompanied Knor on her jump. Knor jumped over 50 times at Skydive City.

Her skydiving journey began in 1959 when, at just 18 years old, she forged her parents’ signatures to make her first jump.

“When I was 20 years old, I was living in Chicago and heard these guys that had come back from Korea, and they were talking about they were airborne, and now they’re in reserves,” Knor said. “And they said, you know, that parachuting stuff would really be fun.”

She went on to join the first U.S. Women’s Parachute Team, winning gold at the 1962 World Championships.

After an 18-year stretch in the sport, she stepped away in 1967 to raise her family, remaining grounded for 37 years. In 2003, Knor returned to the skies with a renewed mission: to reach 1,000 jumps.

“It’s never too late,” Knor said. “So I came back into skydiving because I love it.”

Over the last three years, she traveled to more than 90 drop zones across the country, often alongside Hall-of-Fame skydiver Jay Stokes, inspiring others with her determination and love of adventure.

For her, the journey is about far more than numbers. It’s about defying expectations and showing that passion knows no age.

“The thing is, when you’re up there in the sky, it’s all about living in the moment, you know? Doesn’t matter what happened yesterday, tomorrow, who knows,” Knor said. “But you’re living in the moment when you’re in the sky, and you come down, and you realize this day has really been healing to me. And that healing sets you up for the next day and the next year and next month.”

With one more leap to go, she plans to hit her 1,000th jump next week at Jump Florida Skydiving in Lake Wales, where the USPA will formally recognize her achievement. We will be following her story.