A Marvelous Quality of Life
Katherine Jeter, resident of Tryon Estates
“I’m so blessed and very fortunate to find Tryon Estates,” said Katherine Jeter, who lives at the Acts Retirement-Life Community in Columbus, North Carolina with her husband Jack, surrounded by incredible scenic views of the picturesque Blue Ridge mountains amid hiking, horseback riding, and nature.
At 84 years old, Katherine is an avid cyclist and skier, and in November she will rappel over the edge of a 10-story building to raise money for a local charity fighting cancer. Katherine herself is a breast cancer survivor. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 66. As I approached my 70th birthday, I wanted to do something that showed I’m more than a survivor, I’m a thriver!”
“We love everything about Tryon Estates—certainly love the fitness training and the encouragement. I was not an athlete as a young person,” Katherine said. “I lack hand-eye coordination for sports. I came to skiing and cycling very late.”
Katherine bought a bicycle before her 70th birthday and rode 70 miles to mark the momentous occasion, raising $70,000 for her two favorite charities. Two years later, she took her bike cross country—riding 3,100 miles from San Diego, California to St. Augustine, Florida. To celebrate her 75th birthday, Katherine climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. This summer, she was one of 32,000 cyclists riding the Five Boro Bike Tour, an opportunity to roll through all five boroughs of New York City. “Cycling is exhilarating, challenging, and a positive addiction for me,” she said.
This adventure-seeker found the perfect fit at Acts' Tryon Estates. “The community is like heaven; it’s in a unique part of North Carolina. The area is rife with cyclists, horse people, and hikers because there are so many trails. It’s a nature lover’s paradise!”
“Tryon Estates sits at the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains and the views are just beautiful,” she added. Katherine also has all the encouragement and support she needs from the fitness staff, exercise classes and athletic opportunities on campus.
“Our fitness trainer, Caroline, is the most amazing human being. I've never seen anyone quite like her! I have a reputation for being enthusiastic, but I can't hold a candle to her enthusiasm for fitness, positivity, and health,” said Katherine. “She is perpetually dedicated to keeping everyone as fit as they possibly can be.”
Katherine and her husband decided to move to Tryon Estates to escape the burdensome responsibilities that come with maintaining a home to focus more on truly living! “Why would I stay in my home? To preserve my pride? We only have a finite amount of time and energy. It’s much better to use that energy doing something you love,” she said.
“Why would I want to age in place? What benefit is that?” Katherine continued. “I want to age in a place where I can do all that I can do to live fully. It’s a marvelous quality of life.”
