Wing walking great-gran cannot wait to take to skies
A GREAT-GRAN with a head for heights is taking on her most daring challenge – a wing walk.
Gloria Lonyon, 81, will be strapped to the top of a biplane for an adrenalinfilled trip which will twist and turn through the clouds at 135mph.
While the super-fit dance tutor enjoys taking on hair-raising challenges, the reason for this one is very close to her heart.
Gloria, of Clarke Lane, Langley, is trying to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Her husband Harold, 88, is battling the disease.
Gloria said: “I’ve always wanted to do it since I was a girl but you know how it is, life gets in the way with marriage, children, work.
“I’ve travelled down the Nile and walked on the Great Wall of China – achieving those ambitions, but this is top of my bucket list.
“I’m not scared. If I fall off, I fall off.
“I’ve had friends whose husbands have Alzheimer’s and got a lot of help from the charity. That support is very important and I imagine we will need it in the future.”
Gloria is travelling down to Cirencester for the experience on Thursday, September 29 and will be supported by her son Marcus, 48.
Marcus said his mum has always been adventurous and was a member of a parascending club at the Woodford aerodrome.
He said: “Mum has always had an adventurous spirit and is quite exceptional for her age. She is from adventurous stock. Her uncle Des Pastore, served as a fighter pilot during the Second World War and played rugby until he was 93. Her dad was also a pilot.
“Mum was allowed to take on the wing walk challenge if she got a doctor’s note. She went in and did one better – she got the doctor to sponsored her.
“Her grandchildren think she’s pretty cool, but they’re getting used to her wacky ideas.”
Gloria stays fit by dancing and in her younger days she and Harold, a retired timber merchant, danced together competitively. Gloria still teaches sequence dancing.
Marie Killerby from AeroSuperbatics, who are flying Gloria, said: “It’s brilliant that people like Gloria want to experience wing walking. It’s rare to have someone of her years coming along to try it. We look forward to meeting her.”
Ashley Dodd, Alzheimer’s Society community fundraiser for Cheshire, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Gloria for taking on this impressive challenge. Dementia can happen to anyone and there is currently no cure. But with the right support, people can live well with dementia.”
If you want to sponsor Gloria visit justgiving. com/fundraising/ walkinthesky or paypal to whothefox@hotmail.com.