Five tightrope walkers fall; show must go on: Wallenda
Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda promised Thursday that his show would go on, despite a high-wire accident that sent five performers tumbling nine metres to the ground.
Wallenda said doctors told him it’s a miracle the five performers escaped more serious injuries.
During a news conference in Sarasota on Thursday morning, Wallenda said they suffered broken bones, scrapes and bruises in Wednesday’s fall, but all are expected to fully recover. One was released from the hospital after several hours, and another was to be released later Thursday, he said.
The eight performers were practising a headline act for Circus Sarasota, which opens today. Wallenda, in the “rudder” position and calling out commands, said he watched them tumble.
“I didn’t get much sleep last night because it kept replaying and replaying and replaying,” Wallenda said. He said he rode in the ambulance with his sister Lijana, who probably suffered the worst injuries. His aunt also was injured, he said.
“It’s been a rough couple of days,” he said. “Yesterday was the roughest day of my life and I’ve had some rough days.”
While they don’t yet know what caused the accident, Wallenda said it appears someone may have briefly “blacked out.” He said it was very warm as they were practising, without a net below them.
“We were halfway out on the wire and a couple of people on the front got kicked around and started to lose their balance. I thought someone may have fainted. We just don’t know,” he said. Wallenda wasn’t injured. “He caught himself,” county spokeswoman Ashley Lusby said.