People have been doing crazy stunts forever. Probably for as long as there have been people.There was a great special about Harry Houdini on the History Channel not long ago, and one of the his stunts they highlighted was when Houdini jumped off a bridge in St. Louis and into a hole cut in the frozen Mississippi River... with his hands shackled and body covered in chains. Dangerous stunts aren't new, but they're always making headlines. It has been announced that the "king of the high wire" is going to walk across a tightrope 50 stories high in Chicago... while blindfolded. 

Nik Wallenda is the stuntman that will attempt this feat during a live the Discovery Channel. Wallenda is a world record holder that has successfully walked a tightrope across the Grand Canyon and Niagra Falls.

Nik Wallenda - King of the high wire
Streeter Lecka, Getty Images
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“I’m always pushing myself both physically and emotionally. I hope to inspire people around the world and show that the impossible is not so impossible if you set your mind to it,” Wallenda said in a news release. “This has been a dream of mine and something that I’ve been practicing for awhile.”

One would certainly hope so.

Discovery Channel says that the first portion of Wallenda's walk will cover over two city blocks, at a 15-degree angle. Dozens of cameras positioned around the city, and in helicopters, will cover the second portion of the walk in which Wallenda will be blindfolded.

“For both parts of the tightrope walk, I’m going to face challenges like I’ve never experienced before,” Wallenda said.  “I’ll not only need incredible physical strength to complete this walk, but laser-focused concentration.  I’m incredibly excited to show the world what you can do if you put your mind to it, pursue your dreams and never give up.”

SkyscarperLive.com features training videos and a virtual walk that demonstrates exactly what the stuntman will be facing.

Wallenda's tightrope walk across Chicago is scheduled for Sunday, November 2 at 6 p.m. CT.

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