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  • Wow, that is amazing tonight in his most daring feat yet, I'm about to make a transition here.

  • Daredevil Nik Wallenda traversing an 1800 foot wire that's fine across the crater of Nicaragua's Masaya volcano, the lava beneath reaching up to 2200 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • There's a very strong draft right there, wearing a gas mask and oxygen tank will end a battle.

  • Toxic gas and wind, which affected his aerodynamics and visibility.

  • Who gas proven under May.

  • That'll mess with you.

  • Before his attempt, I asked Belinda about what laid ahead.

  • The reality is I'm risking my life and we're dealing with Mother Nature relative to your previous accomplishments.

  • Where's your head at going into this?

  • Training prepared so hard for this and again.

  • Years and years have gone into this, but there's a little more angst probably going into this one because of all of the unique elements, because we don't know what it's gonna be like out in the middle there.

  • Mike Trow for Will Lend.

  • His uncle is the lead engineer and has been preparing six months for this event, guiding a team of Riggers to make sure that the main wire just over one inch thick and the 116 stabilizing wires state secure.

  • What sort of surprises have been in store?

  • As you've been installing this?

  • Well, the environment has has thrown us a pretty big one.

  • This gas coming up out of the crater has a significant acid content, and this is one of the stabilizers that that was hooked to the rope.

  • That doesn't look at that.

  • That's not good.

  • This is erosion caused by the stress that was in the rope.

  • I didn't see it coming, but we've got it fixed now.

  • The last week in the middle of the night, I'll wake up in cold sweats because of this walk.

  • Every step is dangerous, but I will start to become more and more relaxed as I get through that gas for sure.

  • What will you do in the moment when the wind does pick up and you're out there in the elements, I will adjust to that wind as best that I can, and that's that's where my training and experience off walking over the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls in Chicago in New York City.

  • All of that combined is the only reason why I'm able to take that first step on Wednesday night.

  • Fighting the elements is nothing new for Belinda, whether it's teetering on the edge of the Grand Canyon, walking blindfolded 600 feet above the Chicago skyline or crossing Niagara Falls.

  • Well, Linda has been pushing the boundaries of what's possible for decades.

  • His 26 minutes I'm gonna do this thing New York City world.

  • Last year, Well, Linda and his sister Liana, made history once again 260 feet above Times Square in New York City, 1300 feet on a cable no thicker than a garden hose.

  • To do something that's gonna literally leave my fingerprint on the city's pretty exciting.

  • The will lend a family known famously as the Flying Wallendas trace their roots to European circus performers all the way back to the 17 hundreds.

  • Testing limits is in their DNA.

  • Nick and Liana or seventh generation wire walkers.

  • Their family has been performing mesmerizing feats of athleticism for decades, as showcased in this 1963 documentary for the CBC.

  • My mom was walking the wire when she was six months pregnant with May have walked, aware since I was 18 months old for me, being on the wire is alive.

  • There's something extremely peaceful and serene about that, just like some find their peace by going on a dog or reading.

  • I find my piece by getting on a wire, but in that piece there's a constant danger.

  • The family has not been immune to the tragedy inherent in the dangers of their work.

  • Several lenders have died or been injured in high wire falls in 1978.

  • Nicks Great grandfather Coral Will Linda, a renowned high wire performer himself, fell to his death during a stunt in Puerto Rico at 73 years old.

  • This video, captured by a local news crew at the time, showing his harrowing final moments and in 2017 a near catastrophe for the family when a pyramid made up of eight performers collapsed at a training session.

  • It was February 8th, about 10 30 in the morning, we were preparing to break a world record for an eight person pyramid, and as we made our way out on that wire, we lost our balance and the pyramid collapsed.

  • By the grace of God, I caught the wire.

  • My cousin caught the wire.

  • Another gentleman stayed on the wire, but five of my family members and friends hit the ground.

  • I broke a rib, punctured my right ear.

  • Canal broke clear through my left humerus.

  • But the big one was every boat in my face, the trauma doctor said.

  • When we first got the call, he said, the fear and the voices of the paramedics, he says, I was certainly we're gonna have fatalities by the time they got to the hospital.

  • But 10 days later, Leon is going home, so it's just hard to relive it over and over again.

  • It's weird when something that dramatic happens to you every single step of the way.

  • I mean, that's why I'm a little emotional, cause I'm there again tonight that emotion and history no doubt in the air as well.

  • Linda achieved his latest dream.

  • Sage just caught a piece of history right there.

  • Think I'm keeping this merry go running across nickel Linda off the wire into the history books in Nicaragua.

  • Thank you for Nightline.

  • I'm well Reeve at the Masaya Volcano, Nicaragua.

  • You can watch the entire special tomorrow evening on the National Geographic Channel.

  • Hi, everyone.

  • George Stephanopoulos here.

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  • Thanks for watching.

Wow, that is amazing tonight in his most daring feat yet, I'm about to make a transition here.

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