SAN MARCOS, Texas (Talk1370.com) -- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott reached new heights Monday morning - going skydiving for the first time in his life, joined by a 106-year old World War II veteran.
The 66-year old Abbott was joined by Al Blaschke, who set a world record as the oldest person to skydive three years ago when he turned 103. It's the third time he's gone skydiving, the first time when he turned 100 in 2017.
The pair took off from Skydive San Marcos, about 15 miles outside of the city, just before 8:45 a.m. Monday morning - before making the jump from about 8,000 feet, strapped to their instructors while making the dive in tandem in about seven minutes.
Blaschke will celebrate his 107th birthday on Jan. 4.
Abbott spoke with reporters after the successful landing. "The most shocking sensation is when you immediately exit the plane and you're just in freefall... I had no clue where we were. We stablized and flew for a while without the parachute... then you feel the parachute pull."
"It's like amazing peace out there. It's nice and calm," Abbott said.
Abbott, who has been paralyzed from the waist down since a tree fell on him while jogging in 1984, even joked with reporters. "My biggest fear was realized... that I would land and not be able to walk away."