Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) just checked an item off his bucket list: going skydiving with a 106-year-old World War II veteran.
The Texas Tribune reported Monday that the governor traveled to an area near San Marcos to go skydiving with Al Blaschke, a 106-year-old World War II veteran who has years of experience as a skydiver.
Blaschke, who first completed the aerial feat when he turned 100 in 2017, broke a world record three years later for becoming the oldest person to do a tandem parachute jump, the Texas Tribune reported.
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In a post on X, a social media platform formerly known as Twitter, post former state Rep. Jon Cyrier (R) shared a video showing Abbott and Blaschke landing in separate tandem parachutes, each attached to another person.
“Nice landing for both @GregAbbott_TX and a 106 year old WWII veteran,” Cyrier said in his post.
After he landed, Abbott described his skydive jump as a thrilling experience, Texas Fox affiliate KDFW reported, noting it was the governor’s first sky diving experience.
Abbott, 66, has been in a wheelchair for nearly forty years after an oak tree fell on him while he was jogging in 1984. The incident left him paralyzed from the waist down.
“My biggest fear was realized, and that is, I would land, and I would not be able to walk away from the landing spot. It was absolutely fascinating,” Abbott said.
The event comes a week after Abbott officially endorsed former President Trump for the GOP primary nomination at an event honoring service members stationed on the Texas border.