LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Nikolas Wallenda for his accomplishments
as an American high-wire artist, acrobat and daredevil

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor and pay trib-
ute to those individuals whose commitment and creative talents have
contributed to the entertainment and cultural enrichment of the citizens
of the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Nikolas Wallenda for his accomplishments as an American high-wire
artist, acrobat and daredevil; and
WHEREAS, A direct descendant of Karl Wallenda, the founder of The
Flying Wallendas, Nikolas Wallenda is the seventh generation of the
Wallenda Family; and
WHEREAS, Born January 24, 1979, in Sarasota, Florida, Nikolas Wallenda
began performing with his family at an early age; and
WHEREAS, Nikolas Wallenda first performed at the age of two, dressed
as a clown; he began walking the wire at age four, and had his first
professional wire performance at 13; and
WHEREAS, In 1998, while 19 years old, Nikolas Wallenda participated in
the re-creation of Karl Wallenda's seven-person pyramid on the high-wire
in Detroit, Michigan, by his father, Terry, and mother, Delilah, after
which he decided to make a career of it; and
WHEREAS, In 2001, Nikolas Wallenda and his family appeared at Japan's
Kurashiki Tivoli Park, setting the Guinness World Record for an eight-
person pyramid on the high-wire; and
WHEREAS, On October 15, 2008, during a live broadcast of "Today",
Wallenda walked and then bicycled across a suspended high-wire 13 and
1/2 stories above the ground off the roof of the Prudential Center in
Downtown Newark, New Jersey, for a GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS world record
for longest and highest bicycle on a high-wire; and
WHEREAS, Nikolas Wallenda and his wife, Erendira, own and operate
Wallendas Inc., a premier entertainment company that produces thrill
shows around the world; they also have three children, Yanni, Amadaos
and Evita; and
WHEREAS, In recent years, Nikolas Wallenda has developed many broad
scale productions for amusement parks and similar venues all over the
world, including water stunts, diving and other daredevil exploits,
often featuring him and his wife; and
WHEREAS, They have worked with their respective families on acts
including sway poles, the high-wire, sky-walks, the wheel of death,
incline motorcycles, silks, lyras, the cloud swing, motorcycles in a
cage, and even a dog act; and
WHEREAS, In 2007 and 2008, Nikolas Wallenda was a featured performer
in the Ringling Brothers' production, Bellobration, performing with
Bello Nock on a newly contrived, double version of the Wheel of Steel;
the double wheel of steel was invented, designed, and constructed by
Wallenda and Nock; and
WHEREAS, On June 4, 2011, Nikolas Wallenda completed a high-wire
crossing between the two towers of the ten-story Condado Plaza Hotel in
San Juan, Puerto Rico, on a wire stretched 121-feet above the pavement;
and
WHEREAS, On June 15, 2012, Nikolas Wallenda walked across the Niagara
Falls on high-wire crossing New York to Ontario, a stunt that has not
been allowed for over 100 years; and
WHEREAS, He crossed the Niagara River and its 200 feet (61 m) deep
gorge from the American side at Goat Island and made his way across the

river to land at the Canadian side near the site of Table Rock; the
American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls were behind him and to his right,
while the Canadian Falls were on his immediate left and behind; and
WHEREAS, The event was highly anticipated around the world, and
permission for such a stunt could be given theoretically only once every
20 years; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the entertainment value of this highly antic-
ipated event, there were distinct economic advantages to the local econ-
omies on both sides of the border with the large draw of tourists who
gathered in record numbers at the falls; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
those individuals of historic and artistic significance whose creative
talents have contributed to the cultural enrichment of our communities
and our Nation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Nikolas Wallenda for his accomplishments as an American high-wire
artist, acrobat and daredevil; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Nikolas Wallenda.