96-year-old woman checks flying a plane off her bucket list
Ruby Denyer's wish was to fly over her favourite city. She fulfilled that wish Wednesday
Ever since she was a child, 96-year-old Ruby Denyer says she has always wanted to fly a plane. Wednesday, she got that wish.
"I hope the passengers didn't know, I can't even ride a bicycle properly," the long-time Hamilton resident said after a 30-minute flight in a Cessna 172 over Hamilton.
Denyer flew the plane with the help of John Maxwell, chief flight instructor for Golden Horseshoe Aviation.
The dream had its origins in Denyer's childhood in Kent, England, where she's originally from.
Denyer said years ago kids in her Sunday school class would run over the hills to see a small airport. She was always fascinated with the planes and told herself, "One day I'm going to fly."
Denyer moved to Hamilton in 1964 where her love of the city began, and her wish was to see it from above grew.
Denyer resides in Chartwell Regina Gardens Long Term Residence.
Chartwell Retirement Residences and Wish of a Lifetime Canada made Denyer's wish possible.
Denyer flew out of John C. Munro International Airport in Mount Hope.
"We didn't know it was such a thrill for her to come to Hamilton and that she's loved it since she's been here, it was nice to learn that about her," said Chartwell's program support services manager, Gail Jaggard.
What does Denyer think of all the attention her wish is getting? She says, "It's like being a film star."
