WebProNews

Tag: the flying wallendas

  • Wallenda Family, Generations of Daredevils

    Heights, who needs them? Fortunately, for the daredevil superstar Wallenda family, they need heights, and aren’t frightened away from them. The recent feat of Nik Wallenda crossing over his sister, Lijana Wallenda, at the Charlotte Motor Speedway generated much attention and awe.

    Yet, how does an individual became renown for such activities as crossing the Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Grand Canyon, and Niagara Falls on a tight rope? All great legacies start somewhere, and this one began with Nik and Lijana’s great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda, who formed the circus act called The Flying Wallendas in 1922.

    Karl Wallenda was born in Magdeburg, Germany, and lived his life undertaking many wondrous stunts throughout the world including: Europe, Puerto Rico, and the United States.

    The group became known as The Great Wallendas and were eventually noted for creating the technique of using a three-tier 7-Man Pyramid during their stunts. Karl Wallenda’s impressive career spanned until he was seventy-three when he tragically died while in the midst of a stunt involving crossing between two towers rising ten stories from the Condado Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvzq4NxlZN4

    Thirty-four-year-old Nik Wallenda spoke about his world famous endeavor to cross the Grand Canyon, which drew nearly 13 million television viewers as well as a nod from the Emmys.

    “It’s nice to be able to say ‘the Emmy Award-winning Nik Wallenda’ now. It’s a big deal and it’s huge for a sales pitch,” Nik said.

    Some family members began working in the trade as young as three-years-old. The impressive talents of the members may partially be in their genetic coding; however, hard-work and concentration play a role as well. Fans of the uniquely-skilled Nik Wallenda shared their respect and homage through Twitter.

    Nik Wallenda’s personal mission as depicted on his website embodies the sentiments behind the public’s continued fascination and respect for the Wallenda family, “To inspire people around the world to follow their dreams and never give up.”

    [Images Via Instagram and Youtube]

  • Niagara Falls Tightrope Walk: Flying Wallenda To Make History

    When you come from a family of famous tightrope walkers that’s 7 generations long, you tend to look for ways to go bigger and better. It looks like Nik Wallenda has found one.

    This June, he intends to walk a tightrope stretched directly over the waterfall at Niagara Falls–about 1800 feet across and 200 feet from the bottom–between the U.S. and Canada. If he succeeds, he’ll be the first person ever to cross right over the waterfall.

    Wallenda comes from a circus family famous for their tightrope skills since the 1700’s, hitting a peak of popularity during the Depression when they were recruited by the Ringling Brothers and performed their act without a safety net, which had been lost during their trip. Over the years, various members of the family have fallen to their deaths while performing; Nik’s great-grandfather, Karl, fell during an act in Puerto Rico in 1978 at the age of 73, inspiring Nik to finish the same walk last year.

    “My great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda, was my biggest hero in life, my biggest inspiration behind everything I do,” Nik said after completing the act.

    Because of the immense danger involved with the Niagara Falls stunt, park officials have outlawed anyone from attempting it for several years, but Wallenda lobbied for approval on both sides of the border and Canada finally gave him the thumbs-up on the condition that it will be the only time the stunt will be attempted this generation. The last tightrope walker to cross the falls was James Hardy in 1896.

    Wallenda will be performing the feat on June 15th.