85-year-old NJ man checks skydiving off bucket list

DELRAN, N.J. (WPVI) -- It was not a bird. It was not a plane.

It was 85-year-old Charles Perritt of Delran free-falling through the skies over South Jersey recently after jumping out of a plane at 12,000 feet.

"It was great. It's hard to explain, it's a thrill," Perritt said.

With an experienced diver from Freefall Adventures in Williamstown guiding him, Charles, a retired mechanical engineer, made his jump with two grandchildren on a whim. He says he tried to take it all in as he plummeted to Earth.

"Actually, the free-fall was, I thought it was bumpy, a lot of turbulence. We looked all around; [the diver] maneuvers it all around so you can see the whole countryside," Perritt said.

Some people might think the 85-year-old must be a little crazy to jump out of a plane, but Charles Perritt hasn't lost his sense of adventure or his mind.

"It was on my bucket list. I think it was good, something I wanted to do and finally got to do it," Perritt said.

Charles has been married to Terry for 64 years. She thinks he's crazy.

"Cause he's 85 years old and he shouldn't be doing that," she said.

Charles banged his head and his leg during a rough landing, but says it was worth it.

This 85-year-old daredevil has now flown in an aerobatics plane, a hot air balloon and a glider and says there's one thing left on his airborne bucket list.

"A military jet. I'd love to do that, but I don't know how it'll happen," Perritt said.

Perhaps he'll figure it out because nothing seems to keep Charles Perritt on the ground.