85-year-old plans to sky dive over Charlevoix with goal of 1,000 jumps

CHARLEVOIX — An 85-year-old international sky diver from Michigan is taking a leap in Charlevoix this weekend.

Kim Emmons Knor was a competitive sky diver, making history as a member of the first women’s parachute team. After a 37-year hiatus, she’s back to achieve her goal of gold wings for 1,000 sky dives.

Even after her husband died, Knor decided it wasn’t too late to chase her dream.

“I went to a reunion of all jumpers and they said, ‘Why don’t you just come and make a jump or two, for the grandkids, you know? And I said, ‘No, I don’t think so, I’ve sold all my equipment, everything’s gone.’ But then they said, Come on, just come out, make one,’” said Knor.

“This is like eating peanuts. You don’t eat one peanut – ‘Now, I can’t have any more,’” she added. “I was a competition skydiver and that was my goal, my living, what you would [call] my heart’s desire.”

Knor said for her 1,000th jump, she will be treating herself to a sky dive over the pyramids in Egypt.

She expects to maker her 691st jump in Charlevoix this Sunday, weather permitting.