The Discovery Channel has found the perfect follow-up to Nik Wallenda’s stunning tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon. The network has signed wingsuit jumper Joby Ogwyn to jump from the summit of the earth’s highest peak, Mount Everest.
Ogwyn’s jump will air live in May 2014 in 224 countries and territories. He has a history with Everest, as he became the youngest American to climb to the top when he did so at 24-years-old. He also made the fastest ascent to the top in 2008, taking just nine and a half hours to reach the top.
“This will be the final piece of my dream. Ever since I was a kid, I've imagined what it would be like to fly. I can't think of a more spectacular backdrop than Everest,” Ogwyn said in a statement released by the network. “Everything that I've ever accomplished in my life has just been practice for what I'm about to do.”
Like Wallenda’s walk last year, Discovery will devote an entire day of programming to Ogwyn, starting with a documentary on his preparations for the feat. The jump will be part of a live two-hour special at the end of the day.
“This is history in the making," Eileen O'Neill, Group President Discovery and TLC Networks, said in a statement. "Discovery Channel continues to bring live broadcast events unlike anything you'll see on television - from Felix Baumgartner's world record for the highest space jump to Nik Wallenda's incredible tightrope walk across the Grand Canyon."
Discovery is hoping that Ogwyn’s jump can be as successful as Wallenda’s walk across the Grand Canyon. It was seen by over 13 million people and became a hot topic on social media.
image: Wikimedia Commons
