SARASOTA – It’s what may be his most dangerous stunt yet. Daredevil, Nik Wallenda, will be teetering on the edge, walking a wire over the active Masa Volcano in Nicaragua.
“There’s something inside of me that for some reason drives me to want to do things on a grand scale,” said wire walker, Nik Wallenda.
Nik Wallenda is attempting his longest and tallest walk yet. He says it’s more than eighteen hundred feet long and taller than the tallest skyscraper in New York.
More than six years of preparation has gone into this project.
“We have done many studies over the last six years that’ll show us how hot it is in that area, what the estimated wind speeds will be, how thick the gases could potentially be.”
Part of his training includes a gas mask and practicing blindfolded.
But, no matter how much preparation goes into this, nothing can prepare them if the volcano were to erupt.
“The reality is this is a volcano with an active lava flow beneath us. With gasses that become so thick at times you become engulfed in it and can’t see five feet in front of you.”
It takes a village to create this engineering marvel to accomplish this death-defying feat.
“Dozens of peoples from all over the world, from engineers to carpenters to mechanics, everything,” said his production manager, Dieter Galambos. “Everything that was involved in it. Years of preparation before the first material is even bought or fabricated,”
His crew also prepares for the massive feat by leaving pieces of wire in this volcano for about a month and half.
“I went down about 600 feet into the caldera, still about twelve hundred feet above, and grabbed that cable and literally crumbled it in my hands,” said Wallenda. “So, the reality is, those gases eat through everything you can imagine. I mean it’s real. This isn’t a show, this isn’t dramatic, this isn’t made-up for TV . It is real life or death.”
Wallenda wouldn’t be able to conquer his walks without the support of his family.”
“If my wife said, you are not going to do that, it’s too dangerous, I’m not comfortable with it, I wouldn’t do it,” said Wallenda.
It’s not an easy feat, but he hopes to inspire others to overcome any obstacle you put your mind to.
“Step out of your comfort zone. I’m talking to people in groups and businesses all across the globe all the time saying, ‘hey, get up, take that first step,'” said Wallenda. “And, once you take that first step, you’ve got the momentum to move forward. And that’s what I’m doing in my life, in my career. I’m living out and practicing what I preach.”
Wednesday, March 4, 2020, Wallenda will walk over the Masa Volcano in Nicaragua.