Diabetic man claims to be oldest Scottish bungee jumper

An 80-year-old ex-sailor from the island of Eriskay in Scotland has claimed to be the country’s oldest bungee jumper.
John Macdonald, who has suffered from type 1 diabetes for nearly 50 years, carried out the 40 metre bungee jump from the Garry Bridge in Killiecrankie, Perthshire, as a way to celebrate his 80th birthday. He was diagnosed with diabetes in Brazil in 1964, and admitted that he didn’t expected to live beyond the age of 60 because of his condition.
Mr Macdonald commented “To do this, then, was special and I hope this gives younger ones who have diabetes something to encourage them a bit – an old guy like me managing to do a bungee jump.”
He added “More and more young people are getting diabetes these days and it must be very, very hard for them. I think a lot of people do more sitting in front of computers now and maybe don’t get the same level of exercise. However, if you can control your diabetes and stay as active as you can, diabetes doesn’t have to stop you achieving things.”
The organisers of the drop, Highland Fling Bungee, said that Mr Macdonald now beaten the previous record holder, 73-year-old Denis Gallagher, to become Scotland’s oldest bungee jumper. The oldest bungee jumper in the world is thought to be a 94-year-old New Zealand man.