Gean Hodsdon: OAP, 90, celebrates birthday by white water rafting down rapids

By Andrew Hough Published: 8:00AM GMT 06 Mar 2010

90-year-old Gean Hodsdon, centre, rafting on the River Tay in Perthshire Photo: SCOTIMAGE

The daredevil grandmother, who has had dual deputy knees, lives in a nursing home and routinely walks with dual sticks, embarked down the white-water stream fast in the icy River Tay.

She paddled the River Tay at Aberfeldy, Perthshire on Friday, to assistance lift �5,500 for a kids" stay in Moldova with gift Blythswood Care.

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Speaking after her journey the OAP, from Linlithgow, West Lothian, pronounced she had "great fun".

"Someone pronounced I was only going to be going opposite the stream but I done certain we went down a little of the rapids," she said.

"It was good fun and utterly an eye-opener. I didnt realize how most reserve rigging I would have to put on.

"I similar to the H2O routinely but this wasnt really peaceful."

She added: "My knees gimlet up excellent after all."

"I instruct to appreciate everybody who has donated money, my friends for receiving me here and the staff.

"They got me in and out of the vessel but removing as well soppy so Im happy about that. Falling in would not have been nice.

"There is still ice on tools of the stream so Im certain it would have been flattering cold."

Speaking prior to her paddle, the pensioner, a proffer for Blythswood Care for twenty years, pronounced the journey was her second preference birthday benefaction after her alloy had progressing criminialized her from skydiving.

"I don"t feel similar to I"m 90 nonetheless my physique does. I thought only carrying a birthday celebration would be a bit tame," she pronounced

"I had creatively programmed to do a parachute jump, but my alloy wouldn"t let me since I have problems with my knees.

"So I had to find something else. However, when I was on a expostulate with a crony and saw the signs in Aberfeldy for the white H2O rafting, I thought, That will do and I sealed up."

She visited Moldova and Romania in the past, but as she got comparison had to review to promulgation shoeboxes of aid.

But right away she pronounced she found a new franchise of life, desirous to assistance the unfortunate family groups she met.

Margaret Tooth, area fund-raising physical education instructor for Blysthwood Care, paid reverence to Geans bravery.

"Gean is a conspicuous woman and we instruct her a happy birthday on Mar 5," she said.

"This income will severely urge the comforts at the stay and we are penetrating to see her reach the target. "