FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for your love, which is steadfast even when I fail. Through the darkest time in my life, Jesus, you reminded me that you are always there. When I was a young person, you impressed on my heart that you would bless me beyond my wildest dreams, and you have done so in more ways than I could ever imagine.
Erendira, how amazing it is that God blessed me with someone who not only could understand my dreams but would join me in them. You’ve been my biggest encourager and supporter, my confidante, my adviser, and my best friend. Your love for God and his Word inspires me, and you helped guide me back to his peace during dark times.
My sons, Yanni and Amadaos, thank you for teaching me the highest level of courage as you stepped out to serve our country in the armed forces. I beam with pride even as I write this. You are braver than I will ever be!
My daughter, Evita, thank you for the joy and laughter you bring to each day. As you start your senior year of high school and begin to make plans to pursue your dreams, know that I am always here to support you . . . even if that includes making TikTok videos!
Mom and Dad, you literally taught me the ropes. You taught me to be driven in my skill, to prove to you that I took my art seriously, and that I was ready to perform with you. I’m grateful that you are at every one of my walks, praying for me, ensuring my rigging is safe, and literally talking me through each step.
Lijana, thank you for always being there for me growing up. You are such an inspiration to me. We helped each other through perhaps the most difficult time in our lives, and hugging you at the end of our walk in New York was one of the greatest moments of my life.
Don Yaeger, you take the words out of my mouth! You’ve been brilliant, placing in print the thoughts that were sometimes so hard for me to express. I am proud to now call you a friend. I pray that our work together will inspire many who read this book! Thanks, too, to your teammate Jason Brooks.
My managers, Winston and David, thanks for stepping out of the comfort zone of your industry to take a chance on the wild dreams of a young wire walker. You helped take my career to another level and played a monumental role in relieving that “fear of feathers.”
Lonnie, thanks for always encouraging me to take my dreams one step further than I can envision on my own. You should always know that I have your back (well, that is if it means waxing your back anyways). I’m here for ya!
Joseph, thank you for always being there and supporting me in everything I do! I wouldn’t be where I am today without your endless support. Whenever I’m in a bind, I know I can count on you to have my back.
Uncle Mike, thank you for bringing your engineering talents out of retirement to help my visions become reality. We’ve spanned some of the most incredible skylines and natural wonders together.
Pastor Randy and Pastor Burnard, thank you for your godly wisdom, spiritual guidance, and friendship in some of the most trying times of my life. From praying together in the hospital to hours of counsel and conversation, I can always count on you both. Thank you to the entire Bayside Community Church family as well for praying over each step I took across the wire over Times Square and the Masaya volcano.
To the other members of the eight-person pyramid, Nicholas Slimick, Blake Wallenda, Alec Bryant, Andrew Adams, Zebulon Fricke, and Aunt Rietta—when I was ready to give up, you told me to get back on the wire, and so many of you joined me again in performances to follow. Thank you.
To the first responders who came to the tent following our accident; SMH trauma surgeons Dr. Alan Brockhurst and Dr. Ali Al-Rawi; and all the medical staff of the Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, and Blake Medical Center who attended to my family following the accident—we are forever grateful for the care you took to help us on the path to recovery so that we could continue doing what we love.
Maikol Munoz, my dream of walking over the Masaya volcano would not have been possible without the incredible work of you and your crew. You worked tirelessly, making sure everything was precise and correct. When there were challenges, you never despaired; you helped us find solutions even on the day of the event.
Edgard Torres, my walk over Masaya would not have been possible without you. Thank you for the thread that wove all the parties together that would be required to make it happen.
Scott Igoe, thanks for believing in my wild dreams to walk over Times Square and the Masaya volcano, and for playing a key role in bringing them to the world on live TV!
The entire team at Dick Clark Productions, thank you for bringing your professionalism and expertise in live television event production to my walks. You were incredible partners, and I can’t wait to do it again.
Finally, to the team at HarperCollins Christian Publishing, including publisher Damon Reiss, acquisitions editor Kyle Olund, and senior editor Meaghan Porter—thanks for making this book real.