Christian stuntman Nik Wallenda has planned his latest stunt, which involves plans to walk untethered across the 400-foot high Orlando Eye, a new Ferris wheel in that Florida city.
According to NBC 6 South Florida, the 36-year-old Wallenda, who lives in Sarasota, Fla., will carry out his latest stunt live on national television on Wednesday morning during NBC's broadcast of "Today." No balancing pole or safety net will be used in this stunt either.
"It's not like I'm preparing for the end of my life," Wallenda said with a laugh. "I'm a father, a husband and a homeowner."
NBC 6 reported that he has previously traversed tightropes stretched across the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and skyscrapers in Chicago.
"As far as events for me, fairly stressful and demanding," Wallenda said. "I guess there's more of a comfort zone on a wire."
According to NBC 6, Wallenda will board the Ferris wheel like any other person, then will climb out of the capsule after reaching the top and go down a ladder that would lead him to the outer rim. The walk is estimated to take about 3 to 5 minutes.
"I'm prepared to walk on it, expecting it to be damp or moist, it's just something I'm gonna have to face," Wallenda said during a news conference on Monday. "My actual concern with the dampness is not the actual walking part. It's actually getting to the point where walking it, because my hands have to grab onto those ladders and work my way there. I don't want to slip on the way there."
Wallenda indicated that he plans to proceed with the stunt unless a "torrential downpour" occurs. A seventh-generation tightrope artist, he elaborated on the challenges he would face in his death-defying stunt to Caitlin Keating of People.
"The wheel is going to be moving, so I have to keep up with it," Wallenda said. "Normally I can slow down when I want to. This has been tricky to prepare for."
According to NBC 6, Wallenda, who is married and has three children, takes such stunts seriously. However, doing such performances runs in his family.
"He prays, thinks about death and practices rigorously while coldly calculating risks," NBC 6 wrote.
Wallenda hoped that others would be inspired to push themselves to do great things and be better.
"I think people become very complacent these days," Wallenda said. "I've always been a strong believer in pushing myself in everything I can do. Be a better husband, father and person in general. I hope that what I do inspires people to step out of their comfort zone and do greater things."
According to Keating, Wallenda also had his own personal reasons in going forward with such death-defying feats.
"My 17-year-old son told me he wants to do one big walk before he goes off to the military," Wallenda said. "To think I'm doing this and inspiring my children at the same time is pretty special."
Viewers across the eastern portion of the United States can see Wallenda's stunt live on NBC's "Today" on Wednesday morning. It is expected that "Today" would post a clip of the stunt on its website shortly after it is completed on East Coast time.
