Elderly Woman Nearly Dies Leaping from Plunge Point, Expresses Desire for Future Skydiving
Viva la vita loca: Meet Katja, a 54-year-old adrenaline junkie who channels her passion into base jumping. But when an accident during one of her death-defying stunts leaves her reeling, she embarks on a hard-knock life journey. Three daredevils take center stage in Bettina Wobst's latest documentary "Pushing Limits" - now streaming on ZDF.
Katja's eyes sparkle with joy as she describes her love for base jumping: "You're living in the moment, it's a euphoric feeling of happiness. I love the freedom." With her wingsuit, she soars like a bird, defying gravity from towering cliffs. However, her mantra, "As high as you can fly, so deep you can fall," echoes painfully four months before filming began, when a fatal mistake in the Dolomites nearly claimed her life. A tree miraculously broke her fall, sparing Katja's life.
Looking back at the darkest day: Katja and her partner feel the weight of the past
The memory of that fateful day still stings for Katja and her hubby Jürgen, another base jumper. In one poignant moment of the film, they watch a video of the accident together, fighting back tears. Katja suffered multiple foot fractures and received a devastating prognosis - unsure if she'd ever fly again. As the movie opens, she's uncertain about her future, discussing her rigorous training but also the difficulties of her current career as a mental trainer for athletes. Several months later, Katja appears more at ease, her foot mending, but her outlook on life and extremes has sobered.
Yet, even the psychological aftermath of her accident can't quench Katja's thirst for danger. The exhilaration of crossing the line between life and death is still too hard to resist, although she vows to strap on a parachute for future jumps to ensure safety.
"Whatever happens, it'll be okay": Climber upholds her unyielding philosophy
The second athlete in the spotlight is the 34-year-old Doreen. Growing up with the rocky peaks of Saxon Switzerland as her playground, climbing has been her risky vice since childhood. More daring than most, it's the thrill that gives her "joy and life force," she admits. Like an addictive high. When tragedy strikes and another climber meets an untimely end, it affects her - but not enough to deter her: "Whatever happens, it'll be okay."
Doreen shares her passion not only with her partner André but also introduces her five-year-old twins to the world of climbing. Many may label it too hazardous, but Doreen believes in showing even her children the reality of fear.
"Love-hate" relationship with cold water: Tina swims in frigid temperatures
The third female protagonist is Tina, a 48-year-old Paralympic champion with a disabled leg and arm due to a youthful surgical error. But Tina doesn't let her physical limitations stand in her way; she's the German champion in Para-triathlon and a two-time world champion in ice swimming. She thrives in temperatures of minus four degrees Celsius in the air and one degree in the water, despite the immense effort it takes. She laughs off her love-hate relationship with the cold, feeling her disability less acute in the water, where pain is minimized. "I didn't seek the extreme," she confesses, "but rather the extreme found me." For years now, she's been single, and sports have filled the void in her life, forging lifelong friends along the way.
Sports continue to be a significant part of Katja's life, despite the accident that nearly claimed hers. ("Whatever happens, it'll be okay": Climber upholds her unyielding philosophy)
In contrast, Tina, the Paralympic champion, found her love for sports due to circumstances rather than choice. ("I didn't seek the extreme," she confesses, "but rather the extreme found me.")
