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Tenerife has a record breaker after history was made on Playa de la Enramada in La Caleta on Wednesday morning (June 11th), as 95-year-old British resident, Sheila Johnson, touched down gently on the beach after an unforgettable tandem paragliding flight from the mountain village of Taucho.
Strapped to Spanish Paragliding Champion Daniel Crespo Valdez of Sky of Tenerife, Sheila became the oldest woman ever to achieve this remarkable feat.
Originally from the UK, Sheila moved to Tenerife 16 years ago at the age of 80, looking for a fresh start after her husband passed away. Since then, she has become a cherished member of the local community and a familiar face at the Anglican Church of South Tenerife in San Eugenio, which she attends every Sunday.
For years, Sheila had watched the paragliders drift effortlessly above Adeje and dreamed of joining them in the sky. In a recent interview with Jenny T from Oasis FM, she shared how it had long been on her bucket list, but it wasn’t until close friends gave her a final nudge that she decided the time was now.
Shortly after 11:00am, following a breathtaking 20-minute flight over Tenerife’s stunning southern coastline, Sheila made a perfect landing to the cheers of more than 50 friends and supporters. The moment was celebrated in true style with champagne, hugs, and a few happy tears.
But Sheila didn’t do it just for the thrill, she took on the challenge as a fundraiser for her beloved church, which is entirely self-funded and depends on donations. Using traditional sponsorship forms and a GoFundMe page titled “95-year-old Sheila Johnson, raising money for her church,” she has already raised over €1,000, with hopes of reaching her €3,000 goal by the end of the month.
Sheila’s message is clear: “You’re never too old to follow your dreams. Don’t let age or fear hold you back.”
From everyone at Canarian Weekly: congratulations, Sheila. You’ve proven that courage, generosity, and a love of life can take you to amazing heights quite literally.
If you would like to donate to Sheila’s cause, here is the link to the GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/28ntb-95yearold-sheila-johnson-paragliding-for-her-church
