Some people never stop chasing the adrenaline rush that only comes from pushing the envelope
in a major way - and unfortunately, the risk is sometimes far greater than the reward.
Here’s a look at daredevils who tragically lost their lives doing insane stunts.
Lim Ba
The human capacity for dreaming up bizarre stunts is perhaps only surpassed by the public's
desire to watch people do bizarre stunts, which has proven to be a pretty lethal combo.
In October 2017, Malaysian magician Lim Ba attempted a stunt which involved him sitting
inside a giant wok with some rice and sweet corn.
Lim had been performing this particular stunt for more than a decade, and held a record
of 75 minutes within the larger-than-life wok.
However, the magician was also approaching 70, receiving treatment for high blood pressure,
and had recently undergone a heart bypass.
Needless to say, he wasn't in peak physical condition at the time of his death.
About 30 minutes into the performance, Lim started knocking on the inside of the wok.
Upon removing the cover, onlookers found him unconscious - and by the time medical personnel
arrived to the scene, Lim had passed away.
The official cause of death was a heart attack, though police noted that the performer also
suffered second-degree burns.
Kirk Jones
There's something about Niagara Falls that inspires daredevils, despite the unsettling
three to one ratio of successful stunts to fatal ones.
Of all the daredevils who have attempted to go over the falls in some kind of vehicle,
whether a barrel or a kayak, 16 people survived and six died.
Of course, that doesn’t include the dozens of people who choose to end their own lives
at Horseshoe Falls every year - nor does it include over 5,000 bodies that have been retrieved
from the bottom of the falls since 1850.
Superman just can’t save everyone, as much as we wish he could.
On June 2nd, 2017, authorities found the body of Kirk Jones below the falls, but no one
really seems to know much about his jump.
Reports say that tourists spotted "an inflatable ball" going over the edge in April, and police
later found Jones' personal website, titled "Kirk Jones Niagara Falls Daredevil,” where
Jones had been selling tee shirts that read, “Believe in the impossible.
Kirk Jones and Misty conquer Niagara Falls.”
Misty was Jones' pet boa constrictor, who is believed to have been inside the inflatable
ball Jones had with him.
Unfortunately, the snake is thought to have perished in the fall as well.
GiGi Wu
Pure originality is difficult to come by these days.
It seems that most everything that has been done before - and, of course, posted online
for the whole world to see.
Hiker and social media star GiGi Wu actually found a way to stand out from fellow hikers
by donning a bikini.
Wu would wear traditional hiking clothing while making her treks up mountains, but would
change into her two-piece once she reached the top.
The self-proclaimed “bikini climber” loved hiking alone and felt anyone should be able
to do it, according to the Washington Post.
Of course, hiking solo does come with its own set of safety concerns - especially if
a hiker isn’t dressed appropriately.
Wu fell 65 feet into a ravine while on a solo hike on Yushan Mountain in Central Taiwan.
She was lucid enough to make a phone call after falling, though she said she was unable
to move because of a leg injury.
Unfortunately, rescuers weren't able to reach her until at least a day later - and Wu tragically
froze to death before she could be saved.
Jon James
No one should walk around on the wing of an airplane unless it's firmly parked on the
asphalt without an insane amount of proper training.
Plenty of folks have gotten themselves hurt - or worse, killed - after playing around
with an airplane.
“Performing low-level airobatics can be a dangerous business.”
A rapper by the name of Jon James thought a wing walking stunt would make for an awesome
music video.
However, while he reportedly trained some for the daring act, he was far from a professional
stuntman - and he didn’t have the practice required to safely perform the death-defying
act.
James reportedly walked a little too far out on the wing, which caused the pilot to lose
control of the aircraft.
The rapper tried to hold on as the Cessna went into a spin, but by the time he let go,
James was too close to the ground to use his parachute.
The pilot regained control of the plane and landed safely, but James tragically lost his
life in the accident.
Owen Hart
Everyone knows professional wrestling is staged, but that doesn't mean it lacks in real-life
danger.
In May 1999, 33-year-old pro-wrestler Owen Hart fell 85 feet from the rafters of Kemper
Arena in Kansas City while performing a stunt.
Hart was supposed to swoop into the arena prior to his match, but his safety harness
wasn't correctly attached.
Because fans know the theatrics involved in professional wrestling, many people in the
crowd believed they were witnessing a part of the show.
Spectator Leo Washington told the New York Daily News:
"When they took [Hart] off in a stretcher, everybody cheered for him like he was a football
player being taken off the field.”
It wasn't until an hour later that commentators confirmed Hart had died in the fall.
Anastasiya Maximova
Cossack horsemanship is a performance art with roots in mounted warfare.
Cossack riders do stunts at high speeds, including impressive feats like standing in pyramid
formation on the backs of their mounts, performing sword and spear tricks, and jumping out of
the saddle before springing back into it again.
You know, the special sort of craziness that seems not only impossible but also sort of
ill-advised.
Cossacks are incredibly skilled riders - but as you’ve definitely learned by now, even
great skill can't protect you from freak accidents.
In 2015, 24-year-old Cossack rider Anastasiya Maximova was performing at an acrobatic show
when her foot got caught in her stirrup.
The mishap caused Maximova to fall, and her panicked horse dragged her around the arena
before bolting into a seating area as other performers tried their best to corral it.
Maximova died from her injuries before she could make it to the hospital.
Tragedies that happen during stunts are no less tragic than any other fatal accident,
but there is something to be said for dying while doing the thing you love.
Maximova reportedly once had this to say about Cossack riding:
"It is a naughty, beautiful and bright sport.
It gives me shivers."