Tightrope walker. A fascination with danger?

phew, thank goodness he made it.....the wallendas didn't always go without a net, but there was an accident while they used the net and one of them was killed, the elder wallenda decided they would never use a net again, it made them lax.

This is the sort of fearlessness that has mystified and compelled audiences since the Wallendas began their aerial acts in Austria-Hungary in 1780. But it was reportedly the death of German-born Willie Wallenda in the 1930s that prompted brother Karl to dispense with the illusion of safety measures altogether.

No net

Willie Wallenda was using a net when he fell from a high wire bicycle ride. Never again, vowed Karl, would his family be lulled into false complacency by a net or anything else.


interesting thought process

Was it just me or did his kids seem ..well vacant?

Originally posted by mysterioustranger
100 years of walking-aerial performing by his family the FLYING WALLENDAS. 5 or so died together in a performance in Detroit when the pyramid stacking they were doing collapsed during a performance at the circus.

Its a family thing, not promo or craziness.

His grandfather(?) Carl Wallenda recently died during a tightrope walk on live television while walking between 2 buildings and the wind picked up pitching him to his death.

You'd have to blame the entire family as being "nuts" or not. Grandparents, parents, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, in-laws etc. They all walk or something similar in performance. Even the grand and great-grand children.

This is what circus-family performers do.....

actually, 2 died and one was paralized....he is still alive today!

more info

“One time, in South America, there was an earthquake while they were on the wire, and they stayed up,” Mr. Wallenda-Zoppe said of the original Wallendas. “In Fort Worth the lights went off for several seconds, which is an eternity when you’re up there. And when the lights came back, they were still doing the seven.”

that is amazing..what they did

so what will this young man do next, how far can you go.....

Discovery channel is replaying the video online now for those who missed it live....

dsc.discovery.com...

reply to post by Murgatroid


I've hung iron and installed glass on high rise buildings in L.A. Done a few freeway junctions and overpasses.
I have no fear of hieghts. But I can't watch these guys do this without getting the willys. Watching them
can mess with your head if you work up high. So I avoid watching and comparing sacs. CMF's

SnF Beezzer !

Originally posted by AlphaHawk
reply to post by micpsi

 

Or, my friend, he is pushing the limits and boundaries of human skill and achievement, something man has been doing since he could walk.

What pray tell have you achieved? Since you're being such a downer on this guy?

edit on 23-6-2013 by AlphaHawk because: (no reason given)

It is a stunt. It has no effect on anything besides him getting attention and Discovery getting ratings.

A real achievement has an effect on overall society for the betterment of everyone.

If this guy survives, it will be an amazing stunt of epic proportions!
I won't detract from that in itself.

But to say he is this big achiever is a freaking joke. The guy is so screwed in life he has to walk a tightrope just to get anywhere? Not what I call an awesome gig to land to pay the bills.

Originally posted by randyvs
reply to post by Murgatroid

 

I've hung iron and installed glass on high rise buildings in L.A. Done a few freeway junctions and overpasses.
I have no fear of hieghts. But I can't watch these guys do this without getting the willys. Watching them
can mess with your head if you work up high. So I avoid watching and comparing sacs. CMF's

SnF Beezzer !

edit on 24-6-2013 by randyvs because: (no reason given)

Wow you are brave as heck!

I would never want to work on hi rises. I have always thought it was inevitable I will fall off. IDK why, haha

Originally posted by Murgatroid
Discovery channel is replaying the video online now for those who missed it live....

dsc.discovery.com...

Oh it already happened and no one saying he died?
Cool!

Going to watch it now TYVM for the link and update!
I figured this wasn't going to happen for another few hours...because I are ignant.

Check this out:

Who is Nik Wallenda?

The Flying Wallendas

Nikolas and Erendira Wallenda, Karl's great-grandson and his wife now perform with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He is a seventh generation Wallenda.

So this guy is the 7th generation of professional family of tightrope walkers.

I was mistaken I thought he was just some crazy guy.

Apparently this is his family tradition.

I take back all the dumb things I assumed, I was wrong. This guy is a professional.

This is the only thing this guy really does, it was his family tradition that's all they do pretty much it seems.

He was raised doing this it appears.

I doubt he even choose this job as it was pretty much expected of him to carry on the tradition.

reply to post by muzzleflash

Wow you are brave as heck!

Um, ok maybe I wasn't clear Flash.
If you and I were to try and watch Mr.Man walk that wire ?
By the time he was three steps out, I'd be white knuckled and
stuck to the side of your head. No longer looking at the TV now,
as just knowing he's out there is to much for me at this point
Begging n pleading, tremors.

Sorry, I felt a need to exaggerate.

After the second ffloor it's all the same.
Sounds bold but we got the badass safty gear.
Stud muffin's out there with the wind and the wire and a pole ?
Hold the wings ? No please for my sake don't do it.