“For my 98th birthday, I zip-lined over Niagara Falls”

In 2023, for my 97th birthday, I raised $1,600 for a food bank in Cambridge by walking 97 laps on the track at Seasons, my retirement community. For my 98th this past spring, I wanted to go even bigger. I heard about the WildPlay zip line at Niagara Falls: it starts 67 metres above the ground and flies you along the edge of the Niagara Gorge at more than 70 kilometres per hour. Initially I thought, Oh crumbs, I can’t do that! But, as time passed, I wanted to take on the challenge.

Read more: The ultimate try-anything-once bucket list for 2025

I decided to turn my first zip-lining adventure into a fundraiser for SickKids, setting a goal of $2,098—$2,000 to surpass the previous year’s $1,600 plus an extra dollar for each year of my life.

I was excited as they strapped me into the harness, but I’ll admit to being nervous when the gate opened. It felt just like that split second before a big drop on a roller coaster—there’s no turning back, no way to go but down.

Once I was released, my fear vanished. I put my arms out, like they’d told me to, and I felt like a soaring bird. The view of Niagara Falls was breathtaking, unlike anything you see from the ground. The best part: I raised more than $7,000. After seeing me do it, a few friends from my retirement community decided to zip-line too.

I truly believe you’re never too old to try something new. How am I going to top that for my 99th? Who knows—I’m sure I’ll find something.