Skydiving at 90? . . . Hi-ho Silver!

When Victor Silver celebrated his 80th birthday in March 2006 with a tandem skydive, he claimed he would do it again for his 90th birthday – and he did this month on April 2! Now he’s saying he’ll celebrate his 100th birthday the same way.

Victor was joined for his 90th birthday jump at SkyDive Perris by two of his grandchildren. They were prepared to jump with him on his actual birthday, March 17. But at the last minute, Victor learned he had to have a written release from his doctor before the skydive center would permit him to jump. So his grandchildren joined him again on April 2.

Victor says the tandem dive went well except for a few seconds dizziness. But he recovered quickly and was all smiles for the videographer that his son, Victor Jr., paid to take pictures.

The landing wasn’t as perfect as it could be. He was supposed to keep his legs up while the experienced diver’s legs absorbed the shock of the landing. But one leg slipped and Victor caught his foot on the ground, creating a bit of a jolt. He’s been limping a little since then, but he’s not complaining. It’s nothing his 90-year-old body can’t handle.

After the jump, children and grandchildren got together at the Silver’s Canyon Lake home for a birthday meal cooked by Victor’s wife, Alicia. The celebration was a little quieter than 10 years ago, when Victor invited his Tuesday Work Group buddies to join the party.

This time, his TWG friends had to hear about his jump a few days later, when Victor showed up for work the following Tuesday, after having been away for several weeks due to illness. They welcomed him back with hugs and clapping. Victor has been a member of TWG for the past 17 years and, in many ways, this group of friends was the inspiration for his skydives – bravado and all that.

Victor doesn’t golf anymore and says he never was much of a golfer, but he does have two claims to fame on the Golf Course. He got a hole-in-one on hole 17 on September 8, 2008 (with a certificate from the Lions Club to prove it); and he killed a 5-foot diamondback rattler off the 18th tee box on April 20, 2010 while working with TWG. He was in The Friday Flyer for that.

Victor was born March 17, 1926 in Guadalajara, Mexico. He moved to California in his late 20s to start a publishing company with a friend. They published books and magazines in Spanish, which Victor delivered all over the state. Victor and Alicia lived in La Mirada where they raised their two sons and a daughter. After his partner died and his partner’s sons got involved in the business, Victor decided to retire.

He had heard about Canyon Lake from a friend and, after checking it out, he and Alicia moved here in 1995, paying cash for their house and car. Wanting to keep physically active, Victor got involved with the Tuesday Work Group, a group of men who volunteer their time and skills on Tuesday mornings to improve the Golf Course. He wasn’t a golfer at the time but soon learned enough to fit in.

For a few years, the Silvers participated in the Travel Club’s annual fall trips to Mazatlan.  His mother was born in Mazatlan, so he enjoyed the opportunity to see many family members when he was there. Victor would invite a couple from the Travel Club to join his family for their traditional breakfast.

These days, the Silvers enjoy the company of their own three children and six grandchildren.




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