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311:(Nik) and Erendira Wallenda, Karl's great-grandson and his wife, performed with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus until its last performance in 2017. He is a seventh generation Wallenda. Erendira comes from the Flying Vasquez family of trapeze artists. They have three children; sons, Yanni and Amadaos, and daughter, Evita Wallenda, who are also learning the family trade.
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Other tragedies include when
Wallenda's sister-in-law, Yetta, fell to her death in 1963, and his son-in-law, Richard ("Chico") Guzman, was killed in 1972 after touching a live electric wire while holding part of the metal rigging. Nonetheless, Karl decided to go on. He repeated the pyramid act in
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In
February 2017, a rehearsal of the troupe's eight-person pyramid high wire act for Circus Sarasota (an attempt at a new Guinness World Record for height) went awry when the pyramid collapsed, plummeting five of the performers to the ground while three others, including Nik Wallenda, managed to
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and marked Lijana's return to her first live performance since her accident. For the stunt, both
Wallendas used safety harnesses, despite the family's long-standing objection to the use of safety devices. Although, unlike in Nik Wallenda's earlier Niagara Falls walk, they were not required, he
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in cold conditions with strong winds. He set two world records, one for the highest incline—19 degrees between the west tower and the Leo
Burnett building—and one for the highest blindfolded wire walk, between the two towers of Marina City. Both crossings were broadcast live on
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family, and began performing at the age of six. While still in his teens he answered an ad for a "hand balancer with courage." His employer, Louis
Weitzman, taught him the trade. In 1922, Karl put together his own act with his brother Herman, Joseph Geiger, and a teenage girl,
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In the following years, Karl developed some of their most impressive acts, such as the seven-person chair pyramid. They continued performing those acts until
January 30, 1962, when, while performing at the
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cling to the wire. Miraculously no one was killed, but all five who fell were severely injured: Nik's sister Lijana
Wallenda suffered the worst injuries, breaking nearly every bone in her face.
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on a tightrope, 25 stories above street level. The duo crossed from opposite ends of the wire, which measured 1,300 feet (400 meters) long and was suspended between
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There are several branches of the
Wallendas performing today, comprising most of Karl's grandchildren. They still perform regularly and have achieved recognition in
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233:. He used a 2-inch wire and made the journey without a harness or safety net. The canyon is 1,400 feet (430 m) wide and 1,500 feet (460 m) deep.
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On March 5, 1993, Karl's grandson, Mario B. Wallenda (not to be confused with Karl's adopted son), died from
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118:. The act performed without a net (it had been lost in transit) and the crowd gave them a standing ovation.
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admitted he felt the use of a harness was important for Lijana's first high-wire walk since her 2017 fall.
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1683:""Highwire Live in Times Square with Nik Wallenda," the Live Two-Hour Event Airs SUNDAY JUNE 23 on ABC"
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1725:"ABC's 'Highwire Live': Why Nik Wallenda Is Totally Cool With Wearing a Safety Harness This Time"
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1704:"Nik Wallenda's sister opens up about 2017 injuries before walking the wire in Times Square"
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On June 23, 2019, Nik and Lijana became the first individuals to successfully cross
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1963 and 1977. Karl continued performing with a smaller group, and doing solo acts.
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Carla Wallenda, the last surviving child of the founder of the troupe, died in
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complications at the age of 36. He had tested positive for HIV in July 1990.
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1656:"Flying Wallendas make history crossing Times Square 25 stories in the air"
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Nik Wallenda finishes high-wire act that killed great-grandfather.
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completed the walk on June 4, 2011, with his mother, Delilah.
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1750:"Carla Wallenda, member of famed high-wire act, dies at 85"
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Gianni DeVincent-Hayes wrote a book on the Wallendas. Her
1530:"Mario Wallenda, paralyzed in 1962 circus accident, dies"
19:"Wallenda" redirects here. For the 2012 drama film, see
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Nik Wallenda is the first aerialist to walk over the
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and 2 Times Square. The stunt was broadcast live on
1627:"Video of the 2017 Nik Wallenda accident emerges"
1600:"Niagara Falls Stunts & Daredevils: History"
163:On March 22, 1978, during a promotional walk in
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112:Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus
1560:"Mario Wallenda, Grandson of High-Wire Legend"
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1249:Claire Kuciejczyk-Kernan Wallenda-Zoppe
37:is a circus act and group of daredevil
1804:Wallenda: A Biography of Karl Wallenda
1613:http://skywire.discovery.com/#the-walk
293:, on March 6, 2021, at the age of 85.
229:. The event was broadcast live on the
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1806:. Chatham, New York: Sagarin Press.
129:. None of the Wallendas were hurt.
1574:"Bike rider sets high-wire record"
95:, who eventually became his wife.
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1834:University of Maryland Libraries
1654:Waldrop, Theresa (2019-06-23).
246:skyscrapers: the west tower of
202:Nik Wallenda became the first
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102:for several years, and when
1723:Maglio, Tony (2019-06-23).
114:. In 1928, they debuted at
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1825:. Accessed - July 6, 2008.
1823:Reflection: Carla Wallenda
1681:Dove, Steve (2019-06-19).
1244:Alessandro "Alex" Wallenda
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1817:Flying Wallendas History.
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810:Richard "Chico" Guzman
297:Notable family members
239:Guinness World Records
206:to walk directly over
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1775:"The Great Wallendas"
223:Little Colorado River
123:Hartford, Connecticut
116:Madison Square Garden
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1850:The Flying Wallendas
1832:can be found at the
252:Leo Burnett Building
106:saw them perform in
86:, in 1905 to an old
35:The Flying Wallendas
16:Acrobatic performers
1702:WWSB (2019-06-19).
1492:The Great Wallendas
173:Condado Plaza Hotel
143:State Fair Coliseum
51:The Great Wallendas
1485:In popular culture
337:Engelbert Wallenda
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30:Logo for the group
1855:American families
1802:Morris, R. 1976.
1580:. 16 October 2008
1505:Tightrope walking
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261:Discovery Channel
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156:Karl crossed the
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1844:Categories
1760:2021-03-08
1709:2019-06-23
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1667:2019-06-23
1516:References
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1636:29 May
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212:Canada
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196:Today
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