TORONTO – Prince Harry has made a pact with a 102-year-old Canadian veteran, who just two years ago, jumped out of a plane to skydive for charity.
To mark his 100th birthday in July 2024, Ed Marshall took a leap of faith, skydiving and raising more than $100,000 for Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto.
During the tandem jump, Marshall fell more than 11,000 feet, more than double the height he’d jumped from while training as a member of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion at the end of the Second World War.
“When you’re freefalling, you’re falling at about 125 miles per hour, which is pretty fast,” noted Marshall.
The centenarian shared the story of his big birthday leap with Prince Harry last November while he visited Sunnybrook Hospitals Veterans Centre in Toronto.
According to the Sunnybrook Foundation, “Ed amazed Prince Harry when he proudly recounted the fundraising skydive, he completed to mark his 100th birthday. The idea stuck, and together, they devised a plan for another jump.”
Speaking to CTV News, the veteran shared that he found Prince Harry to be “a nice guy, so I told him I was planning on jumping again and he said, ‘well I’ll join you,’ so I took him up on that,” said Marshall.
At the time, Marshall and his family thought the Duke of Sussex was just being polite. Turns out the challenge has been accepted by Prince Harry who called Marshall two weeks ago to confirm his participation in the big jump that’s scheduled for later this month.
Though Marshall, who still refuses to use a wheelchair, has been told he’ll have to participate in the days events with his feet firmly planted on the ground.
“My doctor got wind of this (skydiving plan) and sent me for all these tests, turns out I’ve only got 50 per cent (function) of my heart,” said Marshall.
So instead, Marshall’s grandson, Bailey will now take the leap in his grandfather’s honour along with Prince Harry.
“My grandson, he’s never jumped before, but he has the right attitude about this, and I hope he enjoys it,” sharedMarshall.
The jump will support Sunnybrook and the True Patriot Love Foundation, two organizations dedicated to serving Canada’s military and veteran communities.
The hope is that the jump will raise thousands of dollars.
Marshall has spent much of his life in service of his country. With his 103rd birthday quickly approaching this December, he continues to serve and help Canadians through his charitable work, now with the help of a member of the Royal Family.
Asked what it means to him to still be making a positive impact on the world, Marshall shares that he feels “very fortunate that I’m healthy enough to do it.”
“If I can serve, I will as long as I’m able to,” he said with a smile.
