A U.S. Veteran Had Dreams of Skydiving for Years. He Finally Made It Happen to Mark His Milestone 100th Birthday 

A U.S. veteran finally achieved his long-time dream of skydiving to celebrate his 100th birthday.

Jimmy Hernandez, a World War II U.S. Navy veteran, marked his centennial on Aug. 29 by jumping out of a plane at SkyDance Skydiving in Davis, California. He was joined by his son, Andrew, and his grandson, Santiago, while other family members cheered him on from the ground.

Jimmy said he felt a mix of emotions before the jump, something he had wanted to do ever since he saw George H. W. Bush skydive. “I thought that this could be my last day, but if so, I have lived a full life,” he told PEOPLE.

Even though he admitted his landing “was not the best,” Jimmy said he felt honored to have his cousins, friends, nieces, nephews, children, and grandchildren there to watch.

Sharing the moment meant a lot to his family. “It felt fulfilling [to honor the] commitment we had made to complete the jump,” Santiago said. Andrew added, “I was proud to be a part of this jump and happy that I could share it with my father and my son.”

When asked about lessons they’ve learned from Jimmy, Santiago said it was “to love, and to love often. Love everyone.” Andrew said his father had taught him the importance of family: “We have a large family, and we are spread out, but we have many family gatherings, including an annual family reunion and golf tournament.”

Jimmy was born in 1925 and served in the Pacific during World War II. After returning to California, he raised 12 children. His family has since grown to more than 120 descendants.

His advice for younger generations is: “Work hard, live clean, respect people and help the poor.”

As for his secret to reaching 100 years old? Jimmy credits a lifetime of hard work. “I was 65 when I retired from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, and I continued to help my son with side jobs,” he said.