In many ways, Kim Knor is a typical grandma. She moved to be closer to her kids, and loves taking care of and spending time with her grandchildren. Sometimes, however, spending time with her family means jumping out of a plane with them.
Knor began skydiving at a young age, and picked up the sport again later in life. On Nov. 6, at the age of 86, Knor will jump with her two daughters, bringing her jump total to 1,000, a legendary feat that few achieve.
With this jump, Knor will earn the Gold Wings Award from the United States Parachute Association and enter the Hall of Fame at the International Skydiving Museum in Orlando, Fla.
I spoke with Knor about how she got into the sport, its role in her life, and the philosophy that keeps her going — and flying.
How Knor Got Started
Knor owes her fascination with flight to her uncle. When he came home from serving in World War II, he described what it was like to float through the air on a parachute, and it made quite the impression on Knor.
“I was 6 years old, and that was my dream. I wrapped myself in [his] parachute every night and slept in it,” she said.
At age 18, she finally got her chance. She heard that some military members coming back from the Korean War were starting a club to skydive, and Knor quickly offered up her services as a seamstress to fix and alter parachutes.
After a while of observing the jumps, Knor demanded that she get her shot.
“They told me when to go. And I went. And I was so thrilled. I finally got to float up there in the sky and enjoy a look at the world from up there,” she said.
For Knor, the gentle sailing underneath the chute and view of the ground below has always been more appealing than the sensation of free fall.
“If you want to know real freedom, go up there and hang up there in the sky by yourself. And that is about as free as you can get. And it’s like the birds, you know? You say, ‘Gosh, I like to be like a bird,’” she said.
After that first jump, Knor was hooked and planned her life around skydiving. She spent a year in Europe, living alone, and jumping wherever and whenever she got the chance.
The 1962 World Championships
In 1962, Knor was chosen to represent the U.S. at the World Championships of parachuting. She and her teammates won gold for their accuracy. It was at this competition that Knor met the other love of her life: her husband Malin. He was a member of the Yugoslavian skydiving team.
“He spoke five languages, and he was cute too, and was a flirt. If I wanted to talk to a Russian, I would just find him and say, ‘Can you translate for me?’”
Malin loved talking with the Americans, and his government took note. In this era of Cold War tensions, he’d be punished upon his return home, and was told he’d never jump again. At the end of the competition, he defected and chose to remain in America, unbeknownst to Knor.
Four years later, a friend asked Knor to go pick up someone for a dive in Washington, D.C. Knor, without knowing who it was, agreed, and to her surprise, lo and behold, it was Malin. With a love story that resembles something out of a movie, the two got married and built a life together.
A Pause and a Return
Malin and Kim bonded over their love of skydiving, and based their life around it. Malin tested products for a parachute manufacturing company, but after a serious accident that resulted in life-threatening injuries, they pressed pause on jumping. With two young kids at home, it was just too dangerous.
For 37 years, Knor chose to put aside skydiving and focus on raising her family.
In her 60s, after Malin passed away and with her children grown and living healthy, independent lives, Knor returned to her greatest passion and resumed skydiving.
In the intervening decades, the sport had changed quite a bit. When Knor was starting out, it was still in its infancy, dominated primarily by military folks.
“I had to learn all the new equipment and how to land the parachutes and the new way — we’re using larger planes and flying higher, longer. Everything was just different than when I left the sport. So that has been fun.”
Knor’s Message
Since resuming the sport, Knor has visited over 90 drop zones and has jumped all across the country. On Nov. 6, she’ll notch jump number 1,000 — and she still has no plans of stopping. She loves defying people’s expectations.
“When I land, somebody runs over to help me get up. I said, ‘Wait a minute. I know how to get up … Watch this.’ I do, I get up,” she said.
Knor says skydiving and her mindset has kept her active and resilient into her 80s.
“What gives you that health and that excitement and that stamina, it’s all up in your forehead. It’s up in your head. You can believe that you can do things, or you can say, ‘Oh, I can’t.’ I don’t use that word, I can’t, because it’s a matter of choices. I can do this. I just have to find the way and make it, you know, realistic for me,” she said.
She credits her parents with her ability to steadfastly pursue her passion. They always encouraged her to follow her dreams and do what fed her soul, even if it didn’t feed her wallet. Knor has raised her kids the same way, and it’s that same sentiment that she hopes to spread with her jumps. Her life is an example that putting your dream on pause doesn’t mean you can’t return to it later on.
And of course, her message of following your bliss extends beyond skydiving. Whatever it is that makes you feel free, Knor says it’s worth dedicating yourself to that thing.
“Everything’s waiting for you. So do what you have to do,” she said. “Your dreams do not have an expiration date. They never expire. So do it while you still have a chance.”
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