SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) – It was a high-wire horror under Sarasota’s circus tent. Thursday, well-known daredevil Nik Wallenda talked about what he called “his worst nightmare.”
On Wednesday, several members of the famous Wallendas were rushed to the hospital after a fall from roughly 30 feet up.
Nik Wallenda and his troupe were practicing the eight-man pyramid on a wire 28 feet above the ground. Halfway along the wire, one person stumbled.
“We don’t know yet what happened, there’s thoughts that somebody might have fainted. We just don’t know,” said Wallenda.
“Once you black out, if you try to maintain your balance in that pyramid, you’re not going to be able to regain, because now you start kicking everyone else around, and everybody has to compensate for that,” Wallenda explained.
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Five people, including Nik’s sister and aunt, tumbled to the ground. Nik was able to grab onto the wire.
The injured were rushed to the hospital with numerous broken bones, but thankfully, they are all expected to recover.
“One of the guys was over 40 feet high, on top of that pyramid, and he will walk out of the hospital on his own today. He had three broken toes. That’s a miracle, guys,” said Wallenda.
“We take risks, it’s what we do. Race car drivers take risks and they get into accidents. It’s what we do. Praise God we’re still alive and we’re still walking,” Wallenda added.
Nik Wallenda said the group frequently practiced the pyramid, sometimes as many as 16 times a day, and it’s always without a net.
“We don’t train with a net. It’s been taught for generations a net can be a false sense of security, I have an uncle that landed in a net, bounced out and was killed, so again, it’s all about training and preparing,” said Wallenda.
Nik will discuss the accident with his family to see if changes need to be made in training. He always places a strong emphasis on safety. Before every practice and every performance, he makes sure that his troupe is comfortable with walking out onto the wire.
“They all are told over and over and over again, that if they ever feel uncomfortable, I could care less if the president is sitting in the audience, we’re not getting out on that wire, period,” said Wallenda.
For now, he feels it’s important to honor the injured by getting back out and performing on the wire.
“I’ve learned the trials I’ve gone through have made me stronger and a better person, and I know that this situation will not only make me a better person and a stronger person, but hopefully inspire others. If you can’t be inspired by somebody falling that high and living through it, then I don’t know what will inspire you,” said Wallenda.
Nik and members from his troupe will do a special performance on the wire Thursday night at Circus Sarasota. They will dedicate it to the injured performers.
“It’ll be a smaller act, but I can assure you that people will be impressed by what they see,” said Wallenda.
It’s a preview showing consisting of former circus performers.
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