Joseph Kittinger, a living hero

Joseph Kittinger (born July 27, 1928) is a true hero in my opinion. Not only did the man win 2 Silver Star awards, 2 Legion of Merit awards, 6 Distinguished Flying Cross awards, 3 Bronze Star awards, 2 Purple Heart awards, a Meritorious Service Medal, 24 Air Medals and a Prisoner of War Medal but he also claimed the highest parachute drop in history. From a whopping 103,300 feet (31.49 km) he jumped from his gondola aircraft as part of Project Excelsior and descended for 13 minutes and 45 seconds during which he reached a top speed of 988 km/h. You really have to see it for yourself:

In a related video: some space enthusiasts successfully recorded HD video from the edge of space on a budget as small as $148 USD. Watch and enjoy