Adrenaline junkie Vali Graham recently attempted a world-record ‘death dive’ from a 42.5-meter cliff in the Blue Mountains, but it didn’t quite go as planned.
The 21-year-old daredevil from Newcastle, NSW, suffered a horrific fracture to his skull, as well as injuries to his back, and burst his eardrum in the process.
The incident took place on June 11 at Minnehaha Falls, where Graham jumped off the top of the waterfall, performing an acrobatic twist in mid-air before landing in an awkward ‘pike’ position, knocking him out cold.
Fortunately, Graham had a team of spotters at the bottom of the waterfall who jumped in to assist him after the dive.
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Despite his extensive injuries, he managed to swim to the edge and pull himself out of the water.
Graham was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent emergency surgeries to treat his injuries. In an update posted on social media, he revealed that he had a burst eardrum, fractured his T11 vertebrae, sternum, and a small fracture on his skull near his burst eardrum.
The death-diving enthusiast took to social media to thank his followers for their support, saying that his suffering was a gift from God. He also expressed his gratitude to his spotters, who helped him out of the water after the dive.
Despite the risks involved, Graham remains committed to the sport, saying that he’s mentally feeling amazing and is ready to rebuild his body and come back stronger.
What is Death Diving?
Death diving, also known as dødsing, is an extreme sport that originated in Norway. The current world record is held by Swiss diver Lucien Charlon, who jumped from a height of 41.7 meters.
In this sport, divers jump from high platforms and outstretch themselves in the air before curling into a pike or ball position before hitting the water. Competitions are held in some countries, with a tour and world championships hosted in Norway.