The King of the Highwire

By Callie Hayman '22

On March 4, 2020, Nik Wallenda walked over Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua. This volcano is 2,083 feet tall and spans 1,800 feet across. Before the walk, Nik’s wife Erendira performed pirouettes on a hoop. She was suspended above the lava lake. At 8:20, Nik began this daring stunt and 31 minutes later he completed it. During the stunt, he was required to wear goggles and a respirator. Nik told reporters the gusts of wind caused his balance to sway and the toxic gases affected his eyes, since he took his goggles off halfway through the walk. This feature was captured by 17 cameras and 4 drones.

Nik Wallenda, age 41, is named the King of the Highwire. He began walking the highwire at the age of 2 and is the seventh generation of the Great Wallendas. Unfortunately, he may be the last walker in his lineage. Nik said, “None of my kids show any interest in carrying it on…”. Nik dedicates every walk to his great grandfather, Karl Wallenda, who fell to his death in March of 1978 while he was walking the wire in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was 73 years old. In June of 2011, Nik recreated the 135-foot walk in San Juan in honor of Karl. Nik’s mother, Delilah, joined him and together they successfully completed the walk between the two towers of the Condado Plaza Hotel.

Nik owns a home in Sarasota, Florida which is 15-acres. His current net worth is $4 million and he makes $500,000 for each of his major stunts. In August of 2017, I got to see Nik perform in “Nik Wallenda’s Zirkus 2” at the Tropicana in Atlantic City. After the performance, I got to meet him and get his book autographed. On June 4, 2013, he published a book called Balance: A Story of Faith, Family, and Life on the Line. Nik has set multiple Guinness World Records and has accomplished some amazing things.

On August 4, 2001, he set the Guinness World Record for the tallest tightrope 4-person-high pyramid at an amusement park in Japan.
On October 15, 2008, he set the Guinness World Record for the longest tightrope crossing on a bicycle in Newark, New Jersey.
On August 28, 2010, he set the Guinness World Record for the highest tightrope crossing on a bicycle in the Bahamas.
On April 29, 2011, he set the Guinness World Record for the Wheel of Death. It was never performed off the side of a building and never at this height.
On June 15, 2012, he set the World Record for the first tightrope walker to cross Niagara Falls.
On November 2, 2014, he set the World Record for the steepest incline for tightrope walking between two towers.
On November 2, 2014, he walked a second time. He set another World Record for the highest blindfolded walk.
On June 10, 2011, Nik hung from a helicopter 250ft above Branson, Missouri by his teeth.
On June 23, 2013, he was the first person to cross the Grand Canyon on a highwire.
On June 23, 2019, he walked 25 stories above Times Square with his sister, Lijana, who returned to the wire for the first time in two years. She fell off the wire while performing the 7-person pyramid.

His performances are always incredible and will leave you on the edge of your seat. If you have the chance to see him in person or even on TV, take it because you certainly won’t regret it!