Watch WWII Veteran Celebrate 100th Birthday With Skydive in Davis

A Lifelong Dream Fulfilled

Jimmy Hernandez, a Navy veteran of World War II, turned 100 years old on August 29, 2025. He celebrated the milestone by doing something many would never dare: skydiving. Jimmy first thought about jumping from a plane when he was 96, but his family persuaded him to wait. They told him if he reached his centennial birthday, then they would support his decision. He smiled and agreed, saying he wanted to “get this out of my system.”

On that day, Jimmy went up in a small plane from SkyDance SkyDiving in Davis, California. He leapt from about 13,000 feet along with his son Andrew and his grandson Santiago. Dozens of family members—his children, grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren—watched from the ground. After nearly a century of work, war, and raising a large family, he showed that age could not stop him.

A Veteran’s Life and Legacy

Born in 1925, Jimmy served aboard a destroyer tender in the Pacific during the war. After military service, he settled in California and worked as a carpenter. Over the years, he raised twelve children. His descendants now number more than one hundred twenty. Though he retired at age sixty-five, he kept busy doing side jobs.

Before the jump, Jimmy said he did not feel scared. He acknowledged this might be his last big act, but said he was grateful for the years he had lived. Gathering family, driving himself to the airfield, facing the fear—all were part of his way of honoring what mattered: courage, love, and family.

He also admitted the landing was not perfect, but safe. And when asked for his secret to long life, Jimmy said “working hard, respecting others, helping the poor.” He joked that a daily shot of tequila helped too—though not allowed before the jump.

Keep going for the video below: