For the first time Cunningham jumped with a parachute on her 90th birthday, and then she repeated her jump on her 95th anniversary. Doctors looking after Cunningham’s health allowed her to jump even on her 100th birthday, noting she was in good shape. She jumped with an instructor from a height of more than 2,700 meters.
Cunningham, a native of New York, has 5 kids, 15 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren. Many of them came to support her. "Will you jump in 5 years?" asked an 8-year-old Dilan, who met her on the ground. "Sure," answered his grandmother.
When journalists asked Cunningham to unveil her secret of longevity, she said that being surrounded by young people helps her stay young. For 30 years the centenarian has been a vegetarian, but recently she began eating meat. According to her relatives, Cunningham used to drive a car and loved to play bowling until she was 95.
It is well known that the former president of the US George H.W. Bush loves to celebrate his anniversaries by skydiving. In such a way he celebrated his 75th, 80th, 85th, and 90th birthdays.