Abbott Jumps Out of Plane with 106-year-old World War II Vet

By Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday traded in the year-long drama of the Legislature for a different kind of high stakes activity — skydiving.

Abbott visited the San Marcos area to go skydiving with Al Blaschke, a 106-year-old World War II veteran who has already broken records for his own aerial feats.

The dive was a success, according to video tweeted by former state Rep. Jon Cyrier, R-Lockhart. The video showed Abbott and Blaschke landing in separate tandem parachutes, attached to another person.

“Nice landing” for Abbott and Blaschke, tweeted Cyrier, who is a pilot himself.

Blaschke has made headlines for his previous skydives. He went skydiving for the first time on his 100th birthday in 2017, and when he did it again in 2020, he broke the world record for the oldest man to do a tandem parachute jump.

Abbott had promised to skydive with Blaschke when he first met him a year ago, according to KXAN.

Gov. Greg Abbott shakes hands with 106-year-old World War II veteran Al Blaschke in San Marcos on Nov. 27, 2023. The governor skydived for his first time with Blaschke, who holds the the Guinness World Record for the world's oldest tandem parachute jump. Credit: Office Of The Governor

Gov. Greg Abbott gives the thumbs up from an airplane before skydiving with 106-year-old World War II veteran Al Blaschke in San Marcos on Nov. 27, 2023. The governor skydived for his first time with Blaschke, who holds the the Guinness World Record for the world's oldest tandem parachute jump. Credit: Office Of The Governor

First: Gov. Greg Abbott shakes hands with 106-year-old World War II veteran Al Blaschke in Fentress on Nov. 27, 2023. Last: Gov. Greg Abbott gives the thumbs up from an airplane before his skydive. Credit: Office of the Governor

Abbott, 66, uses a wheelchair to get around after an oak tree fell on him while he was jogging in 1984. The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Monday’s dive took place at Skydive Spaceland San Marcos, which is about 15 miles outside San Marcos in Fentress.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/27/greg-abbott-skydiving-al-blaschke/.