Originally published 2018-09-12.
106-year-old Jack Reynolds, a great-great-grandfather, has recently broken the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to ride a zip line. Reynolds broke the record while celebrating his 106th birthday.
Jack Reynolds has made a habit of doing exciting things for his birthdays and, in the process, he's ended up in the Guinness Book Of World Records. He is on record as being the oldest person to get a tattoo as well, which happened on his 104th birthday. Finally, he is the oldest person to ride a rollercoaster on his 105th.
Reynolds took the publicity surrounding the event as a chance to raise money for various charities.
His daughter Jayne told Metro, “ He decided to use his age to earn money for charity, that’s his core motive, simultaneously, he is getting a lot of fun out of it. It has become a pastime that on his birthday that he uses his new age to help raise money for worthy charities.”
The videos below show the trip from two different angles:
(The video originally embedded here is no longer available on YouTube.)
Reference: Educate Inspire Change
A birthday becomes an occasion to contribute
The story links Reynolds' adventure to fundraising, which gives the record attempt a purpose beyond an unusual number. His daughter's account describes enjoyment and a wish to help as part of the same project. The record references belong to the reported period and should not be read as confirmation that every record remains unchanged.
Let the celebration suit the person
An extraordinary activity is not a standard for how someone should age or celebrate. The transferable idea is choosing an occasion that reflects the person's interests and, if they wish, connecting it with a cause. A quiet gathering can be as meaningful as a public challenge. Reynolds' enthusiasm deserves appreciation without turning his example into a comparison against people with different abilities or preferences.
Jack Reynolds’ records and later life
Reynolds, born on 6 April 1912, rode the zip wire at Go Ape in Grizedale, Cumbria, on 6 April 2018, his 106th birthday, aged exactly 106 years and 0 days. He lived in Hollingwood, Derbyshire. He first went viral at 102, doing a charity ice bucket challenge in Union Jack boxer shorts; his rollercoaster record was set at Flamingo Land. At 107 he became the oldest person to appear as a supporting artist in a TV show, on Hollyoaks, and for his 108th birthday he raised more than £1,600 for the Derbyshire charity Helen’s Trust. He had left school at 14 to become a butcher’s boy and worked for 40 years as a foreman platelayer at the Staveley steelworks. Reynolds died in April 2020, aged 108, surrounded by his family, having been ill since a fall the previous December. His advice for a long life: “Work hard, always smile, get plenty of fresh air.”
Sources: Guinness World Records: Oldest person to ride a zip wire (zip line) Derbyshire Times, 26 April 2020: Derbyshire legend Jack Reynolds dies surrounded by family aged 108
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