Leap of faith

Wind prevented Dick Corbit from skydiving over Hawaii at 80 years old.

So he recently jumped at the opportunity to free fall at 86 in Dubai.

"I told them that I'll be back at 90 - if I live long enough," said Corbit, who lives in Blanchard. "I'd go again in a minute."

Corbit, whom the Lakeland High football field is named after, is now believed to be the oldest person to skydive over Dubai by 13 years.

Any hesitation to jump from a plane 13,000 feet in the air?

"Never a minute," he said. "I've been married for 60 years so I don't get scared of anything. It didn't bother me at all.

"The hardest part was coming out of the door because I had to bend low to get out with the (helper) on my back."

Corbit, who jumped before two of his daughters did, said it was smooth sailing, a great view and he even stuck the landing.

"It was beautiful up there to see all the islands," he said. "They put me with the best guy, who goes up nine times a day. Everything went perfect."

Corbit, who had the experience while visiting a daughter in Dubai on his 86th birthday, had to pass a physical before jumping.

"He didn't even say goodbye to me," said Ella Corbit, Dick's wife of 60 years. "He was so determined to do it. He's always been adventurous.

"I was a little worried about his health because he had triple bypass surgery two years ago."

Ella said she was relieved after her husband wasn't able to skydive in Hawaii.

"I thought, 'Well, that's taken care of' ... but apparently not," she said.

Ella, who watched in Dubai from the ground, called the jump "unreal." She said she felt more at ease after Corbit remained steadfast in following through.

"All he was worried about was whether he got grass stains on his shorts (during the landing)," she said.

Lynn Wilson, one of Corbit's daughters, said her dad's skydiving feat is an inspiration.

"It gives me hope every day to live life to the fullest whenever possible," she said.

Waiting for Corbin's landing was a media horde.

"I was a celebrity on a talk show and in the papers," he said.

Corbit has been known for giving to others over the years and personal milestones have come to the forefront lately. The World War II veteran visited the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C., three years ago as part of the Honor Flight program.

As a former president of the Lakeland High Booster Club, he was involved in many fundraisers.

Slowing down hasn't come easy for Corbit.

He has ridden along a zip line in Costa Rica, he water skis and regularly walks and plays golf.

"I've been pretty athletic all my life," Corbit said. "But I don't buy green bananas anymore."

So what's next on his bucket list?

"My daughter in Vegas is trying to get me to ride in a NASCAR car," he said. "But I want to drive it, not just ride along."