Man Survives Historic Plunge Over Falls
 

LOL This dude is from my town... go figure! What a ride this must have been! Steve.... heres a new Lightspeed event for ya.! haha

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Man Survives Historic Plunge Over Falls

By CAROLYN THOMPSON, Associated Press

NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario (Oct. 21) - A man who went over Niagara Falls with only the clothes on his back and survived will be charged with illegally performing a stunt, Niagara Parks Police said Tuesday.

Kirk Jones, 40, of Canton, Mich., is the first person known to have gone over Niagara Falls without safety devices and lived. He could be fined $10,000.

Brian Merrett, chairman of Niagara Parks Commission, called the stunt "stupid.''

"Our people went down in the gorge and got him,'' Merrett said. "That's why we don't condone this. It puts all of our people: the fire department, the paramedics everyone at risk to do the rescues. That's why were are so adamant about stunting.''

Stunned tourists described seeing Jones float by on his back Monday in the swift Niagara River, go headfirst over the churning 180-foot waterfall and then pull himself out of the water onto the rocks below.

"He just looked calm. He just was gliding by so fast. I was in shock really that I saw a person go by,'' Brenda McMullen told WIVB-TV in Buffalo.

Jones was not seriously injured and remained hospitalized in Niagara Falls in stable condition.

Police said they were ruling out the possibility it was a suicide attempt.

"We're investigating it as an intentional act,'' Niagara Parks Police Inspector Paul Fortier said.

He said psychological tests were being conducted at the hospital.

Fortier said police have a videotape of the act that they believe was made by someone who accompanied Jones. That person has not been charged.

Water rushes over the falls at a rate of 150,000 gallons per second.

Only one other person is known to have survived a plunge over the Canadian Horseshoe Falls without a barrel or other contraption - a 7-year-old boy who was wearing a life preserver when he was thrown into the water in a 1960 boating accident.

No one has ever survived a trip - with or without safety devices - over the narrower and rockier American falls.

Since 1901, 15 daredevils have taken the plunge in barrels or other devices, including a kayak and a personal watercraft. Ten survived, said Niagara Falls historian Paul Gromosiak, who has written books on the subject.

Suicides are not uncommon at Niagara Falls, although police are reluctant to give numbers.


Lynda Satelmajer, of Brampton, Ontario, said she and her family watched the man as he entered the river and then went over the falls.

"He seemed a bit edgy, kind of jumping around,'' she said. "He walked over to where we were standing and he jumped and slid down on his backside and went over the brink.

"It was really freaky, actually. He was smiling.''

Had a buddy who used to drive all around this country jumping off bridges.

I seen him do some sick shit when we were youbng.

Definitely one of the dumbest guys Ive seen take a plunge, but im sure the rush is great.

Its an addicition to say the least.

We were jumping off train bridges in Mississippi.

Fun shit.

Wah, wah, wah. Stop crying you fucking baby. No one made you grow up to be a park ranger. Now shut up and do your job.

I think people that do insane stuff like this should get medals and parades, not fines.

SpaceAce

one of the kids i went to school with jumped off the 1000 islands bridge on some serious drugs and he passed out half way down and thats the only reason he lived cuz his body was limp....i think 5 people have tried it and 2 lived.....him being one of them
what a moron :1orglaugh

Heard about it this morning...so who has the footage? LINK LINK LINK!

too bad he didn't die...........that would be a nice way to go!

We used to ride our Big Wheels down freeway overpass hills.. haha! I was about 7.. One time I overshot and went into uncoming freeway traffic. That was my last time making that ride. I think I pee'd myself. haha

I admire him, although I think he is pretty stupid. :thumbsup

nah wat a fuckin fool, its cool to do a stunt, but u u gotta put ppl like rescuers and firemen in danger u r just a fag.

reminds me of real tv, this womens car got stuck in a flash flood, they had to overhang a fire ladder with a fireman hanging onto it to get her. and she asks the fireman to go into the car and get her purse. i hate dum asses to bad this fool didnt get eaten by the falls.:mad: