Nik Wallenda Survives! Tightrope Walker Successfully Completes Deadliest Stunt Yet
Nik Wallenda has survived not one, but two deadly tightrope walks high above Chicago.
The walk, televised with a 10-second “death delay” on Sunday night, consisted of Wallenda completing the final walk blindfolded. The first walk, non blind-folded, took around six and a half minutes, Yahoo! News reports.
Those of us who didn’t want to see Nik Wallenda splattered all over the Windy City watched Twitter with nerves jangled Sunday night to see whether he made the blindfolded tightrope walk successfully or not.
(Of course, he saved it for last.)
The Twitterverse was alive with congratulations upon completion of the second act.
He’s done it again! @NikWallenda sets two world records with two tight-rope walks over #Chicago; the second was done blindfolded.
— WIVB News 4 Buffalo (@news4buffalo) November 3, 2014
Wow @NikWallenda is unbelievable! #skyscrapperlive
— Jarrett W. Payton (@paytonsun) November 3, 2014
Praise God! Thank you Jesus! @NikWallenda is safe, and will be joining us in St. Charles in two weeks! #cccwallenda pic.twitter.com/by43sxUnOm
— Christ Community (@ccclife) November 3, 2014
Finally, I can breathe again @NikWallenda..thanks for the shout out, love you too #skywirelive pic.twitter.com/Jwn3F2JAw3
— Laurie Goldberg (@LaurieGoldberg) November 3, 2014
He made it! @NikWallenda completes 2nd Chicago high-wire walk, blindfolded. Phew! Don’t try this at home, kids! pic.twitter.com/HWbdcZvS50
— WTHR.com (@WTHRcom) November 3, 2014
When discussing his decision to do the second tightrope walk blindfolded, Wallenda explained.
“If I want to inspire others, I feel like I have to continue to push myself,” said Wallenda, a member of the seven-generation Flying Wallendas daredevil clan. “I thought a blindfold would be very exciting.”
The longer leg of Sunday night’s two-part walk took Nik Wallenda from Chicago’s 50-story Marina Tower West to the Leo Burnett Building — on the other side of the Chicago River. So, yes, that means he was over water, but if you fall from 50 stories, you’re not doing any more tightrope walks.
Since Wallenda didn’t fall, he will walk again with plans to tackle “a 1,200-foot-long high-wire walk made famous by his great-grandfather. Karl Wallenda’s stunt at Tallulah Falls Gorge in Georgia included two headstands on the high wire, Yahoo! notes.
(Those of us who value our sanity will not be watching.)
So, what did you think of the daring tightrope walks from Nik Wallenda, readers? Is this man amazing, insane or a little bit of both? Share your thoughts in our comments section.
[Image of Nik Wallenda taken from Flickr Creative Commons]
