Some people never stop chasing the adrenaline
rush that only comes from pushing the envelope in a major way - and unfortunately, the risk
is sometimes far greater than the reward. Here’s a look at daredevils who tragically
lost their lives doing insane stunts. Lim Ba The human capacity for dreaming up bizarre
stunts is perhaps only surpassed by the public's desire to watch people do bizarre stunts,
which has proven to be a pretty lethal combo. In October 2017, Malaysian magician Lim Ba
attempted a stunt which involved him sitting inside a giant wok with some rice and sweet
corn. Lim had been performing this particular stunt
for more than a decade, and held a record of 75 minutes within the larger-than-life
wok. However, the magician was also approaching
70, receiving treatment for high blood pressure, and had recently undergone a heart bypass. Needless to say, he wasn't in peak physical
condition at the time of his death. About 30 minutes into the performance, Lim
started knocking on the inside of the wok. Upon removing the cover, onlookers found him
unconscious - and by the time medical personnel arrived to the scene, Lim had passed away. The official cause of death was a heart attack,
though police noted that the performer also suffered second-degree burns. Kirk Jones There's something about Niagara Falls that
inspires daredevils, despite the unsettling three to one ratio of successful stunts to
fatal ones. Of all the daredevils who have attempted to
go over the falls in some kind of vehicle, whether a barrel or a kayak, 16 people survived
and six died. Of course, that doesn’t include the dozens
of people who choose to end their own lives at Horseshoe Falls every year - nor does it
include over 5,000 bodies that have been retrieved from the bottom of the falls since 1850. Superman just can’t save everyone, as much
as we wish he could. On June 2nd, 2017, authorities found the body
of Kirk Jones below the falls, but no one really seems to know much about his jump. Reports say that tourists spotted "an inflatable
ball" going over the edge in April, and police later found Jones' personal website, titled
"Kirk Jones Niagara Falls Daredevil,” where Jones had been selling tee shirts that read,
“Believe in the impossible. Kirk Jones and Misty conquer Niagara Falls.” Misty was Jones' pet boa constrictor, who
is believed to have been inside the inflatable ball Jones had with him. Unfortunately, the snake is thought to have
perished in the fall as well. GiGi Wu Pure originality is difficult to come by these
days. It seems that most everything that has been
done before - and, of course, posted online for the whole world to see. Hiker and social media star GiGi Wu actually
found a way to stand out from fellow hikers by donning a bikini. Wu would wear traditional hiking clothing
while making her treks up mountains, but would change into her two-piece once she reached
the top. The self-proclaimed “bikini climber” loved
hiking alone and felt anyone should be able to do it, according to the Washington Post. Of course, hiking solo does come with its
own set of safety concerns - especially if a hiker isn’t dressed appropriately. Wu fell 65 feet into a ravine while on a solo
hike on Yushan Mountain in Central Taiwan. She was lucid enough to make a phone call
after falling, though she said she was unable to move because of a leg injury. Unfortunately, rescuers weren't able to reach
her until at least a day later - and Wu tragically froze to death before she could be saved. Jon James No one should walk around on the wing of an
airplane unless it's firmly parked on the asphalt without an insane amount of proper
training. Plenty of folks have gotten themselves hurt
- or worse, killed - after playing around with an airplane. “Performing low-level airobatics can be
a dangerous business.” A rapper by the name of Jon James thought
a wing walking stunt would make for an awesome music video. However, while he reportedly trained some
for the daring act, he was far from a professional stuntman - and he didn’t have the practice
required to safely perform the death-defying act. James reportedly walked a little too far out
on the wing, which caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft. The rapper tried to hold on as the Cessna
went into a spin, but by the time he let go, James was too close to the ground to use his
parachute. The pilot regained control of the plane and
landed safely, but James tragically lost his life in the accident. Owen Hart Everyone knows professional wrestling is staged,
but that doesn't mean it lacks in real-life danger. In May 1999, 33-year-old pro-wrestler Owen
Hart fell 85 feet from the rafters of Kemper Arena in Kansas City while performing a stunt. Hart was supposed to swoop into the arena
prior to his match, but his safety harness wasn't correctly attached. Because fans know the theatrics involved in
professional wrestling, many people in the crowd believed they were witnessing a part
of the show. Spectator Leo Washington told the New York
Daily News: "When they took [Hart] off in a stretcher,
everybody cheered for him like he was a football player being taken off the field.” It wasn't until an hour later that commentators
confirmed Hart had died in the fall. Anastasiya Maximova Cossack horsemanship is a performance art
with roots in mounted warfare. Cossack riders do stunts at high speeds, including
impressive feats like standing in pyramid formation on the backs of their mounts, performing
sword and spear tricks, and jumping out of the saddle before springing back into it again. You know, the special sort of craziness that
seems not only impossible but also sort of ill-advised. Cossacks are incredibly skilled riders - but
as you’ve definitely learned by now, even great skill can't protect you from freak accidents. In 2015, 24-year-old Cossack rider Anastasiya
Maximova was performing at an acrobatic show when her foot got caught in her stirrup. The mishap caused Maximova to fall, and her
panicked horse dragged her around the arena before bolting into a seating area as other
performers tried their best to corral it. Maximova died from her injuries before she
could make it to the hospital. Tragedies that happen during stunts are no
less tragic than any other fatal accident, but there is something to be said for dying
while doing the thing you love. Maximova reportedly once had this to say about
Cossack riding: "It is a naughty, beautiful and bright sport. It gives me shivers."
