88-year-old Kentucky woman skydives in in honor of her son

(CNN NEWSOURCE/WLKY) — An 88-year-old Kentucky woman jumped thousands of feet from a plane in memory of her late son.

Jamie Mayes has the story.

It’s never too late in life to reach new heights.

“Life is what you make of it,” said Bernadette Fife.

And at 88 years old, Bernadette has never soared higher.

‘I’ve never tackled anything like this before, and it’s interesting,” she said.

Now she’s taking a 10-thousand-foot plunge at Skydive Kentucky in Elizabethtown in honor of her son, Bobby Lynch.

He died in a car crash in 1979.

In May, he would have celebrated six decades of life.

“We miss him. We think of him every day. He was 16 years old. Just at the prime of getting ready to live life,” Bernadette said.

Out of Fife’s five living children, four of them have skydived for their 60th birthday. Her son says this is more than a thrill, it’s a chance to connect with family.

“I mean with me being in Florida most of the year and stuff like that, we don’t have the connection everybody up here does, but when it’s homecoming, it’s homecoming,” said Jim Lynch, Bernadette’s son.

Although Bobby isn’t there for the reunion — he’s still a part of the celebration.

“I mean he’s up there now and we’re going to get closer to him when we jump,” said Jim.

Fife says each jump is a reminder to cherish time while you’re living.

“We don’t get out and see things at times and that, and just to get out and enjoy,” she added.

And never let age get in the way of your goal.

This is actually Fife’s second skydive!

She jumped for the first time two years ago for Jim’s 60th birthday.