Ziplining: Final wish granted for Montana centenarian before final breath

After living for 100 years, Marklyn Lynn had just one item left to cross off her bucket list, a wish that some might find surprising for a woman of her age.

“She told several staff that, the last thing I want to do before I die is to zipline,” says Beth Hoferer, administrator for The Crossings, St. John’s senior living community in Laurel.

Marklyn spent the last 15 years of a long life filled with adventures living at The Crossings. Most of the residents just called her Mark.

“She had the ability to meet people, and they felt a unique connection to her,” Hoferer says.

courtesy St. John's

MTN featured Marklyn in a story in April on her 100 ^th birthday. The staff had surprised her by arranging to have birthday cards sent to her from around the world to mark the occasion.

“I have to cherish each moment of this day—including this interview,” she told Q2 at the time.

But along with turning 100, Marklyn had one thing left that she still wanted to accomplish — one last adventure. She wanted to go ziplining.

Marklyn had since been moved into hospice care.

“We were unsure if we'd be able to make it happen up until the moment we arrived at the ziplining company,” Hoferer says.

courtesy St. John's

The staff succeeded in helping make Marklyn’s last adventure happen on September 11, thanks to the Montana Whitewater Rafting and Yellowstone Zipline and Stillwater Hospice.

“She got up there and she was excited. She was a nature person, so being able to be up in the trees and waiting her time to go down the zipline was also really special for her,” Hoferer says.

St. John’s captured video of the moment and interviewed Marklyn afterward.

“It was the most fun, really,” she said.

Marklyn died less than two weeks later with her bucket list fulfilled.

“She loved life, and she lived every day to the fullest,” Hoferer says.