Watch: ‘Flying Wallendas’ Successfully Cross 1,300-Foot High Wire Above Times Square

Katherine Rodriguez

An acrobatic group called The Flying Wallendas shocked the world Sunday evening as they crossed a high wire 25 stories over New York City’s Times Square.

Siblings Nik and Lijana Wallenda completed the daredevil stunt where they crossed two skyscrapers, 1 Times Square and 2 Times Square, while hundreds looked on down below.

The Wallendas wore harnesses and carried 38-pound poles while carrying out the stunt between the two buildings, which are 1,300 feet apart and 25 stories above the ground.

Nik took his first step and Lijana soon followed, making it her first attempt to cross a building since 2017, when she broke every bone in her face while rehearsing for another high-wire stunt.

Lijana Wallenda said she had thought over whether to quit performing the stunts after her accident but eventually decided not to because she “wouldn’t let that fear” overcome her.

Both daredevils began at opposite ends of the wire and inched their way to meet midway. Although the walk seemed like it was smooth sailing, Nik revealed in an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America that he “freaked” when his pole began to slip during his journey.

But despite the high adrenaline danger that comes with walking a high rope between two buildings, both acrobats successfully completed their stunts.

Nik completed his journey in 26 minutes, while his counterpart, Lijana, completed her journey in 36 minutes.

Nik and Lijana Wallenda are members of The Flying Wallendas, a group of acrobats who have performed daredevil stunts in public for decades. In the past, these performers have walked over other long spaces such as Niagara Falls and the Chicago Skyline.

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