On a clear, blue day, Charlotte Moszczenski, 85, soared skyward. Late July heat was wafting through Sullivan, Missouri as a small crowd gathered — sunglasses on and faces upturned — to watch their mother, relative and friend fulfill her lifelong wish to skydive.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I didn’t know how,” Charlotte said. “It’s a once in a lifetime thing for me.”
As the little tan plane carried Charlotte away, her family mingled, shared stories and waited to see a parachute open in the sky. Some worried more than others about the 85-year-old woman’s skydiving adventure, but everyone could agree: this was a dream come true for the South County woman.
Charlotte’s late husband, Walter, was a 101st Airborne Army Unit veteran and founder of the St. Louis Parachute Club. In her younger years, she would pack his parachutes; some days she would ride along with him in the plane, while other days she would watch from the ground. But on July 25, Charlotte took the leap herself — in her husband’s honor.
“He’d say, ‘I can’t believe you did it, but I’m super proud,’” Charlotte said.
The opportunity was granted by Cedarhurst of Tesson Heights, the senior living facility where Charlotte has resided for approximately a year. Cedarhurst’s Dream Come TRUE program helps residents achieve their bucket list item by selecting one dream to bring to life within the community. Debra Leland, the life enhancement director at Cedarhurst, says they fell in love with Charlotte’s story about her husband, so they chose her.
“At Cedarhurst, we’re all about helping our residents live life to the fullest. We’re willing to help with that any way we can,” said Ryan Davis, Cedarhurst’s corporate communications manager. “What better way to live life to the fullest than to jump out of a plane?”
A handful of fellow Cedarhurst residents joined Charlotte’s family to cheer her on. On the drive over — riding in a cushy limousine bus — those close to Charlotte say she listened to Van Halen’s “Jump” and showed no sign of apprehension, whatsoever.
Before long, a colorful parachute was gliding through the air, bearing Charlotte and her tandem skydiver, Noah, from Skydive STL. Charlotte says that, despite her confidence on the way up, she still needed a nudge of encouragement from him to step out of the plane. Upon sighting her, her supporters cheered. They cheered again for her safe, grassy landing.
Hugs, claps and fist pumps ensued when Charlotte returned to the watch party.
“It was wonderful,” she said. “I recommend it to everybody! Now I’m ready for some champagne.”
Champagne was then popped and shared among family and friends.
Part of Charlotte’s wish was to have her family gather for the celebration. Three of her five children — Keith Moszczenski, Lisa Reando and Heather Farr — were present for the skydiving adventure, and other relatives had come from as far as Georgia, Minnesota and Illinois. A family reunion followed on July 26, where they said Charlotte was sure to be “the talk of the reunion.”
“This wouldn’t have been anything without them here,” Charlotte said about her family. “It means everything.”
Keith and Farr are glad to see this daring streak from their mother. After a difficult year for Charlotte, Farr said, this was a way for her to express her livelihood and independence. More than anything, she thought it was a demonstration of the woman’s resilience.
“She’s really an amazing woman,” Keith said. “Not just with skydiving, but also raising five young kids after my dad passed.”
Charlotte’s husband died of a rare disease when Keith was ten and his youngest sibling was three.
Once hugs had been exchanged, photos taken and champagne drank, the group stood around Skydive STL’s television to watch the video of Charlotte diving through the blue sky. One of her relatives laughed as he turned away from the screen. “That’s one tough woman.”
