Philippe Petit

Philippe Petit is a French highwire artist who gained fame for his highwire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, on the morning of August 7, 1974. For his unauthorized feat 1,350 feet above the ground, he rigged a 450pound cable and used a custommade 26foot long, 55pound balancing pole. He performed for 45 minutes, making eight passes along the wire. The next week, he celebrated his 25th birthday. All charges were dismissed in exchange for his doing a performance in Central Park for children.

Petit was born in Nemours, SeineetMarne, France his father Edmond Petit was an author and a former Army pilot. At an early age, the boy discovered magic and juggling. He loved to climb, and at 16, he took his first steps on a tightrope wire. He told a reporter,

Source: Wikipedia