An 86-year-old Redwood City woman recently achieved a life goal to take an hour long hang glider flight, soaring more than 8,000 feet above her family and friends waiting for her on the ground.

Carol Cantwell, resident of Woodside Terrace independent living facility in Redwood City, took the trip alongside her daughter on August 1, and she is still flying high.

"I'm still so full of the experience," said Cantwell. "It's the last thing I think of at night, and the first thing I think of in the morning."

"I don't know how long the feeling will last, but I'm enjoying it," she said.

Cantwell was able to take the flight by volunteering to participate in an activity program at Woodside Terrace. The program is called Jeremy Bloom's Wish of a Lifetime, which offers seniors an opportunity to take the adventures of their dreams.

Bloom is a former college football player as well as a two-time Olympic skier, who launched his foundation to enrich the lives of people living out their golden years.

Cantwell said her glider flight was the most exciting event of her life.

"It seemed kind of magical that this was happening to me," she said. "I've never had anything exciting happen to me. Nothing like this."

Cantwell said that she always a thrill seeker, which previously she achieved through athletic activities such as swimming. She said that her times underwater was the closest experience she had ever had to flight, but that did not satisfy her urge.

The actual experience of flying was much greater than what she had imagined in her wildest dreams, said Cantwell.

"It was more than flying. We were soaring," she said.

Cantwell said that she appreciated hang gliding more than flying in a plane because of how quiet the trip was.

And despite the thrill, Cantwell said that she never once feared the experience.

"I was just so excited and full of exuberance. I was needing to take deep breaths to stop from yelling about how wonderful, how fun it was," said Cantwell.

She said the hang glider, which was navigated by an experienced pilot, was towed by a plane to about 8,000 feet above ground. At which point the plane detached from the glider, allowing its crew to fly on their own.

Cantwell said once high above the ground, she and her daughter Mary permitted the pilot to complete some mid-flight tricks, such as a nose dive.

"I remember the ground coming at us fast and thinking jeez, this is just like the movies," said Cantwell.

The glider descended toward earth at a gradual pace. And after flying above the Monterey Bay and Gabilan Mountain Range for nearly an hour, the glider eventually made a soft and safe landing.

Once on the ground, Cantwell was overcome with emotions. In the heat of the moment, she expressed her appreciation to her pilot the only way she knew best.

"I gave him a big bear hug and a kiss on the cheek," she said.

During the flight, the rest of Cantwell family captured video of the hang glider from the ground, which Carol and Mary were able to watch after their trip. Upon viewing the recording of what kind of aerobatics the glider completed, Carol Cantwell said she could not believe what she had been through.

The night after the flight, the Cantwell family celebrated with a dinner and a champagne toast. Carol Cantwell proudly wore the tee shirt that she was awarded after completing the adventure, and shared her experiences with her living mates at Woodside Terrace.

"They understood it was something really special," she said of others' reaction to her experience.

When all the day's excitement had settled, Cantwell still struggled to purge the adrenaline from her system.

"I couldn't go to sleep for a while," she was. "It was a once in a lifetime experience."

Cantwell said the flight satisfied her desire to fly ever again, and strongly suggested others take advantage of similar opportunities.

"It will do me for the rest of my lifetime," she said. "I would recommend the experience to anyone. It's not scary at all. Not for a second."

Granting opportunities such as the one Cantwell experienced is a primary goal of Bloom's program, he said.

"I created Wish of a Lifetime to change our views about aging and remind future generations about the value, wisdom and dreams of older adults," said Bloom.

Dr. Kevin O'neil, medical director for Brookdale Senior Living, said an experience similar to the adventure taken by Cantwell can increase the quality of life for seniors.

Brookdale Senior Living operates Woodside Terrace.

Cantwell said on her way home, after the trip, one of her sons asked what type of excitement was next for her.

"He asked if I would try swimming with dolphins," said Cantwell, laughing.

"I said, well, who knows?"