OHIO, USA — Why would anyone jump out of a perfectly made hot air balloon?
“It’s about the team, it’s about the challenge, it’s about the purpose, it’s about Special Operations Warrior Foundation,” said Larry Connor.
For Connor, those are the only reasons motivating the Dayton-area businessman to attempt a Guinness World Record this week in New Mexico.
“Take a hot air balloon that was purposely built to fly up to 35,000 feet, step off of there, and set a world record for a five-man formation,” Connor said,
He is training for this historic jump to raise $1 million for Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a non-profit that helps children of special ops personnel killed in action.
“Fall into what they call ‘dead air’ and then try to assemble us and hold the record for at least five seconds,” Connor added. A representative with the Guinness Book of World Records is expected to be on-site for the attempt this Wednesday.
Taking on daring adventures is something Connor is quite used to. In April 2022, he and three others became the first private-all civilian crew to reach the International Space Station for an 8-day mission conducting science experiments.
Connor also dove into the deepest ocean depths in the Mariana Trench 10 months before his space mission. But it was during the recovery of his Axiom rocket from space that Connor met members of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
“It’s an organization that’s been around for some 40 years, served over 1500 families,” Connor stated. According to SOWF’s website, the foundation helps ensure children of fallen special ops members are taken care of from ‘cradle to career.’
“Being a special operator overseas, being shot at, you’re always worried about your family,” said Brandon Daughtery, who is a project leader for Alpha 5.
“It’s not just if something happens to me or they’re going to get a bunch of money,” Daughtery added. “It’s who’s going to mentor them, who’s going to make sure they have an education, that they are set up for success?”
Connor says he hopes media coverage surrounding this jump will also show people that age is just a number. At 73 years old, Connor says it’s OK to step out of your comfort zone. Even if it’s off a hot air balloon 35,000 feet up.
“I think it’s a lot more about mindset, mental attitude, belief, desire, hard work, determination, that is some number,” Connor said. “You never know what you’re capable of doing, but you have to start with trying.”