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OFFICIAL BLOG OF NIAGARA FALLS TOURISM |
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SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF KIRK JONES GOING OVER NIAGARA FALLS
By GEORGE BAILEY
2009-10-20 14:26:46
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It was October 20th, 2003 that 40 year-old Kirk Jones of Canton, Michigan decided to take his life by jumping over the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Wearing only his jacket and jeans he miraculously survived the plunge without a scratch becoming at the time only the second person to plunge over the falls without protective equipment like a barrel. Originally he told reporters that he was trying to end his life,then later changed his story saying he was a daredevil.
Seven year old Roger Woodward accidentally went over the same falls on July 9, 1960 as a result of a boating accident. Wearing only a life-jacket he survived. He was rescued by crew members of the Maid of the Mist below the falls.
On March 11th of this year an unidentified man also attempting to take his life and survived a fall over the Horseshoe Falls. He was rescued below the falls by Niagara Parks Police who worked with helicopter pilot Ruedi Hafen. He has never been identified.
These three are the only documented cases of people surviving the plunge without protective equipment.
Between October 24, 1901 and March 11, 2009, 17 different people,including two women have intentionally went over the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Two of these people went over twice while two other people went over the falls at the same time in the same barrel (yes,it does get confusing). Five people out of the 17 lost their lives in the plunge.
63 year old Annie Taylor was the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel on October 24,1901 and survive. Here she is being assisted after exiting her barrel.
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Photos by George Bailey...
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