Former American President George H.W. Bush celebrated his 90th birthday by skydiving, near his summer home in Maine.
In the interesting birthday celebration, the 41st president jumped out of a helicopter on Thursday harnessed to a member of the Army's parachute team.
Videos doing the rounds online show him jumping off a helicopter with the army parachute team and floating to the group using a red, white and blue parachute. He was seen almost crash landing, but a spokesperson was quoted by media as saying that he landed safely.
The former US president, who had skydived for his 80th and 85th birthdays, had made a promise that he would take another plunge when he turns 90, TODAY reports.
Thursday's dramatic plunge, which was conducted in assistance by US Army's Golden Knights near his family's home in Kennebunkport, Maine, was his eighth parachute jump.
Before taking the jump, Bush had informed about the event in a tweet:
It's a wonderful day in Maine -- in fact, nice enough for a parachute jump.
— George Bush (@GeorgeHWBush) June 12, 2014
Bush jumped from an airplane for the first time when his plane was shot down in World War II over the Pacific. The 1944 event, during which he parachuted into water was an experience that sparked his interest in skydiving.
"I did it wrong," he said in an interview with his grand-daughter Jenna Bush Hager, who is also a contributor to TODAY. "I pulled the ripcord too early and hit the tail of the plane with my head, just (a) glancing blow. I've decided that later on, well, I want to do it right."
Bush was mostly been bound to wheel chair throughout this year, as he suffers from Parkinson's disease.
Kennebunkport is a special place for the former president. He used to visit the "Summer White House," as a boy every summer, except during World War II.
Bush, during his presidential years was known for his daily jogging, tennis and fast-paced golf but for his 90th birthday he was restricted to the wheelchair or scooter because of the disease that has left his legs almost paralyzed.
