MORE and more Australians are reaching the age of 100, but few celebrate in such style as Greg Lee.
The new centenarian and resident of The Gap in Brisbane celebrated the milestone birthday by completing a tandem skydive with Skydive Ramblers Toogoolawah on March 12.
As well as allowing Greg to fulfil a lifelong dream, the dive was also his way of honouring his late wife Iris, while raising funds and awareness for Kidney Health Australia.
Greg's son Graham said Iris had battled health issues relating to chronic kidney disease since the age of 16.
A talented sportswoman in her youth, Iris remained active through her teenage years and into her 20s, but had to be very careful about her kidney health.
She and Greg met in Goulburn, NSW, in 1964. Following Graham's birth in Tamworth in 1966, Iris was forced to enter Tamworth Hospital because of her deteriorating condition.
She was frequently re-admitted to hospital over the next five years, and in 1971 travelled to Sydney Hospital to go on peritoneal dialysis.
After Gough Whitlam was elected prime minister in 1972, funding was provided for home haemodialysis and Iris went on the program in 1975.
She received a kidney transplant in 1977 and the procedure completely changed her life.
"Dad has said the transplant gave me 39 more years with my mother and him 39 more years with a very special lady," Graham said.
"Dad once told me when she came out of recovery, it was like a blind opening - all the colour moved up her legs, arms and face. A couple of hours later, she was ready to bounce out of bed."
His father told him Iris never had a day of sickness due to her kidneys after the transplant.
"It was still as good on the day she passed away (in 2016)," he said.
Greg's dive aimed to honour Iris and the young man who "gifted her life by being a registered kidney donor".
It also honoured a promise to a care worker at Greg's aged care home who had also donated a kidney to a family member.
"He promised her that if he made 100, he'd fulfil his lifelong dream by skydiving to raise awareness for kidney health," Graham said.
Greg's dream of skydiving dates back to his childhood.
At the age of six, he and his brother used to jump off the roof of the hotel where they lived in Bourke, NSW, with umbrellas or bed sheets.
Greg's long life has been packed with experiences.
He travelled from Bourke to Sydney with some mates to enlist in the air force soon after the outbreak of World War II, but a fire broke out destroying his paperwork.
He didn't have enough money to stay overnight in Sydney.and re-enlist the next day, so he enlisted in the army instead.
He served with the 2nd 14th Australian Field Company in the Middle East and New Guinea from July 1940 to January 1946.
During his non-military career, he was a bit of a jack of all trades, working as a farmer, painter and builder among other things.
Graham said he was extremely proud to see his father achieve his childhood dream at his age.
He said Greg had remained calm the whole day, even though his tandem dive was delayed by about five hours because of the weather.
"To see the absolute joy in his eyes after he'd landed was something to behold," he said.
To donate to Greg's fundraiser, click here.
