Great Grandmother Mary Allen Hardison: 101-Year-Old Woman Breaks Guinness World Record... Oldest Female to Paraglide Tandem

Photo:  Guiness World Records – See Video at GWR link as well

In celebration of the official start of spring and life rejuvenated, Guinness World Records is recognizing the endless spirit and youthfulness of 101-year-old great-great grandmother, Mary Allen Hardison from Ogden, Utah, who is now recognized as the 'Oldest Female to Paraglide Tandem.'  (She was perhaps inspired by former President George H.W. Bush, but beat him in age.  She broke the 100-year-old female record set two years ago.)

Pushing record breaking to new heights, Mary's incredible feat was achieved as part of her 101st birthday celebration this past September 1^st.  On, as she describes, "a whim to not be outdone by her 75-year-old son Allen," who had recently taken up paragliding as a new outdoor activity, Mary took to the air fearlessly for her first flight.

Cheered on by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and even great-great grandchildren, Hardison was strapped in by Cloud 9 Paragliding Company representatives and took flight amongst the strong winds. Paragliding instructor Kevin Hintze describes Hardison as "hardcore" as they spun together hundreds of feet in the air.

A self-described rookie to the paragliding sport, Mary's primary hobby is knitting garments for the less fortunate: caps for children's' hospitals, crocheted bandages for leopards in India, and knit caps for premature babies. Her closest experience to anything extreme was riding all the rides at Disneyland at age 90.

Hardison comments, "I feel very humble in setting a new Guinness World Record. My desire is for the elderly to keep on going, do things as long as you are physically able. Be positive. Friends don't like a grumpy person."

Hardison also urges other senior citizens to stay moving and to continue to challenge themselves, even if it means them breaking her current record:

"When a person is busy, the hurts seem to ease up. If you are able and even older than I, then I'm happy for people to attempt to break my record. I promise the experience will be well worth it!"

Also See: Go Granny Go…  These fun activities by seniors come at a time where we are simultaneously seeing both more people living to 100+ and on the flipside watching the fight against the provisions in ObamaCare to ration healthcare for seniors.

There are more Centurions on record alive today than anytime in history and with proper healthcare and continued research discoveries and inventions we should continue to see an increase in numbers as well as the quality of health in those who reach the rip old ages of 100 an above.

Ann Nixon Cooper, center, prepares to cut her cake as she celebrates her 107th birthday

However, we are living at a time that youth instead of the wisdom that comes with age are valued.  We are also living at a time where we often stick our aging parents and grandparents into institutional facilities or ‘old people’s group homes’ instead of taking them into our homes to be part of the core family unit as people have done throughout history, where they can impart their wisdom, perspective and experience to the next generation… or two… or three.

Although the House of Representatives just passed a bill to do away with IPAB, it won’t pass the Senate if it even makes to the floor to be voted on, and many question whether any changes made now (before Election 2012) to ObamaCare won’t just be reversed if ObamaCare is either not declared unconstitutional in full or the individual mandate is not struck down by the SCOTUS and then President Obama is re-elected. The End of Life Provision was removed from ObamaCare in August 2009, but the ObamaCare Mandate Committee is alive and well.  Rationed Healthcare, no matter how you spin it equals death panels for those who do not get the care and procedures they need.  Seniors and special needs children and adults will be the first victims.  Many see the days of Soylent Green in their future.

Related:

March 23rd Second Anniversary of ObamaCare… March 26th a Future Day in American Infamy?

Meet the ObamaCare Mandate Committee

Obamacare rationing panels an ‘immediate danger to seniors’: former AMA president

Obamacare’s Second Anniversary: No Gift for Seniors

IPAB Spells Gloom And Doom For Medicare – On (03.22.12) the House of Representatives voted to repeal key 'Obamacare' provision” IPAB (the CLASS ACT has been nullified)

I was told by a friend whose husband works for one of our major U.S. hospitals that the HR department posts upcoming news on a weekly basis on their bulletin boards throughout the hospital. Late last week a posting went up stating:

PER THE U.S. FED GOV’T, AS OF APRIL 24, 2013 THERE WILL BE NO CHEMO/RADIATION/MEDICATIONS/FOR ALL PERSONS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AT AGE 76 OR OLDER. SURGICAL PROCEDURES WILL BE DONE ONLY IF THE SURGEONS CAN WITH HIGH CERTAINTY REMOVE IT ALL.

Grandparents (grandmas and grandpas) and the wisdom and experience of seniors were valued in our culture until Progressivism took hold.  Those relationships and the transfer of generational wisdom are still valued in the Asian cultures whose children are number #1 overall in educational retention and the arts.  Connection?  And many of the values and traditions whose loss we question and yearn for could certainly be salvaged and resurrected if our children and grandchildren spent time with older generations. 

In studies, the relationship between grandchildren and their grandparents have been shown to be some of the most valuable of their lives. (As they say grandparents and grandkids are so close because they have a common enemy!) Grandparents have time for grandkids, are generally more relaxed than parents and are often fun & funny.  Perhaps it is time to take stock of our lives and weigh societal pressures and directions against common sense?  It has to still exist somewhere deep down?!?  How about setting up a neighborhood homeschooling network run primarily by grandparents since so many mothers work?

One really must question whether we as a society have moved so far down the road that we are truly considering standing still for killing off our elderly relatives and some of our greatest assets?!?  And whether we are so brainwashed that we don’t realize that tomorrow it will be us.

Ask Marion~

Jerry Lewis Fired from the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon - Public and Comedians Support Jerry

Comedian Paul Rodriguez, at podium, expresses the comedians' support Friday for Jerry Lewis to be reinstated as host of the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon. With him are, from left, Norm Crosby, Jason Stuart, Angelo Tsarouchas, Larry Miller, Jamie Masada (front) and Tom Dreesen.

LOS ANGELES — Jerry Lewis’ separation from the Muscular Dystrophy Association is not a laughing matter for some comedians.

Paul Rodriguez, Larry Miller, Tom Dreesen, Norm Crosby and others have joined in support of Lewis, the 85-year-old comedian who the MDA said is no longer its national chairman and will not appear on this year’s telethon. The Tucson, Ariz.-based association announced earlier this week that the organization was parting ways with him after 45 years.

“If this is the way we’re going, we should also tell grandpa we don’t need him for Thanksgiving,” joked Miller.

The funnymen told reporters gathered at The Laugh Factory comedy club Friday in Hollywood that they want the MDA to feature Lewis in some capacity on the upcoming telethon.

“He’s not dead,” said Rodriguez. “He’s very much alive.”

The comedians said they hadn’t spoken with Lewis since the separation was announced, but Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada said they supported Lewis “regardless of why he was dismissed.”

Dreesen speculated that the MDA told Lewis that he would be phased out of the telethon, and the group was fearful of what Lewis would say during the six-hour broadcast.

“There’s no way they would give him the microphone for five minutes,” said Dreesen.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association announced that legendary 85 year old entertainer Jerry Lewis will no longer serve as their national chairman and he won't be back as the host of their telecasts, which he initially brought into the spotlight. CBSNews.com's Ken Lombardi reports: Video

How could they fire Jerry Lewis??  -  Ken Levine

Thank you, Jerry for 45 years of great work. Now get out. That’s essentially what the MDA has done to telethon host/face of the charity Jerry Lewis. Oh, I’m sure he drove them crazy. I’m sure executives dove out of their 20th floor office windows when they heard he was in the building. But without Jerry there is no telethon. I mean, seriously, you’re replacing one of the icons of show business with Nigel Lythgoe? (Who???)

The program will also be shortened this year from twenty hours to a mere six. And I bet they still have trouble filling the bill. Good luck getting Tony Orlando this year.

Once upon the time the Jerry Lewis telethon was a highlight of the year. Twenty hours of the highest camp, schmaltziest schmaltz, cheesiest cheese, and glitziest entertainment ever assembled on one stage. And it was all live. Jaw-dropping moments were as common as a check of the tote board.   I even wrote about it a couple of years ago. 

Jerry created this faux Vegas main showroom format, which was already dated in 1966 when he first introduced it. Over the years it became a time piece. Singers still in tuxedos and formal gowns – at 7:00 AM. Wayne Newton -- the major headliner. Lounge comics trotting out material that I’m sure killed in 1955. Puppeteers. Bird acts.

And it was all held together by Jerry. No comedian has ever taken himself more seriously, and in an unintentional twisted way, that only made him funnier. One minute dripping sincerity, the next crossing his eyes and acting like a moron. Genius! Sheer genius!
Add to the mix the fatigue factor. Put someone like that on live television with major sleep deprivation and by hour 15 you’ve got real  theater. Crying, badgering, doing rat pack racial slurs. You never knew what you were going to get… from moment to moment. And again, that was the brilliance of it all. That was the appeal. Once Jerry took his tie off you were on high alert for hilarity.
Plus, it was all for a really good cause.

Say what you will, Jerry raised millions and millions for MDA. His telethon became a part of American culture. He is 85. You knew it was just a matter of time. But to not let him go out in a dignified way, on his own terms, that’s unconscionable.

As far as I’m concerned there is no more MDA telethon. And it’s too bad because Nigel’s kids need the help just as much as Jerry’s.

Thanks again for everything, Jerry. I’ll never be able to hear Rockabye My Baby With a Dixie Melody ever again without crying… and laughing.

This is just another example of what is wrong with America!  I am absolutely not a fan of Jerry Lewis style comedy, especially not when he was young.  He was waaaaay too silly for me.  But Jerry Lewis is the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon and Jerry’s Kids and Adults have received the donations and all the results from them for one reason and one reason only… Because of Jerry Lewis and his hard work and dedication.

America’s lack of respect for their elders and for the knowledge they have and the service they have given is a huge part of our failure as a people and as a nation.  The youth culture and ignorance and disinterest is much of what has brought us to the place we now find ourselves in and is part of the plan of the Progressive Movement that has gripped and destroyed this nation.

Shame on MDA!!  I support the the comedians and other groups fighting to bring Jerry back.  I hope some you decide to join me!  I will also not be supporting the telethon this year with my donation if Jerry is not reinstated as the host!!

I guess in the future, if we don’t wake up, we will have less of these old people in the way and less of these types of problems because if ObamaCare goes into affect there won’t be many 85+ year-olds around because the *death ( oh sorry… rationing) panel will have denied most of them a treatment by then that will cost them their life and keep us from being bothered these old troublesome folks. :-)

* Under ObamaCare, people over 78 will require the okay of a government administrative rationing panel to receive any major treatments, procedures or surgeries.  Darn that Sarah Palin for being right…

Support Jerry Lewis, seniors and the knowledge seniors possess and America needs!!

Ask Marion~