The Wallenda family are known for their high wire acts past and present. On ABC television live last night, the brother and sister act of Nik and Lijana successfully pulled off yet another daring feat with the successful crossing over Times Square in New York City.
The siblings started on opposite ends of Times Square, met and crossed over in the middle and continued to the other end.
The family — known as The Flying Wallendas — have been walking on highline wires and performing daredevil stunts for years, often times without any safety gear.
In 1978, Nik and Lijana’s great grandfather Karl Wallenda fell to his death at age 73 while performing a high wire tight rope stunt in Puerto Rico.
Previous to that, in 1962, Karl Wallenda’s nephew Dieter Schepp was killed in a 32-foot fall, along with son-in-law Dick Faughnan. His adopted son Mario spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair after a seven-person pyramid collapsed.
The most recent stunt was fraught with history and extreme worry as Lijana had fallen two yeas ago and nearly died. “I am nervous, I will tell you the truth,” she was quoted as saying on a recent episode of Good Morning America.
Her 40-foot fall almost killed her, and it took 72 screws and three plates to repair her face after the fall broke every bone in it. She also shattered other bones.
But last night the siblings successfully walked a quarter of a mile while 25 stories up across Times Square. ABC broadcast the stunt as thousands watched the nearly 20 minute event that made history.
How old are they?
Nik Wallenda was born in Sarasota, Florida in 1979 and is 40 years old. His older sister Lijana Adina Martha Wallenda is registered in whitepages.com as a Las Vegas resident aged 42.
Where are they from?
The family was born and raised in Sarasota, Florida.
What is their net worth?
Celebrity Net Worth claims Nik is worth around $4 million dollars. They claim his performance fee is $500,000. The same site also claims he must carry a huge insurance waiver for any unintentional audience accidents in the event of his fall, to the tune of $20 million dollars.
Wikify claims Lijana is worth around $1.5 million.
The live event took place June 23rd on ABC.
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