Jeb Corliss facts for kids

Jeb Corliss, born on March 25, 1976, is an American athlete. He is famous for his skills in skydiving and BASE jumping. BASE jumping involves jumping from fixed objects like buildings, antennas, spans (bridges), or earth (cliffs).

Corliss has made many incredible jumps from well-known places. These include the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Space Needle in Seattle. He also jumped from the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. Another famous jump was from the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. He currently lives in Venice, California.

Early Life and Facing Fears

When Jeb Corliss was a child, he had a condition called counterphobia. This made him seek out activities that scared him. It was his way of dealing with worries. For example, he jumped off a high-diving board at just 18 months old. He even caught live rattlesnakes before he was seven years old. He was homeschooled after getting into fights in first grade.

Corliss has shared that BASE jumping helped him a lot. He found that this extreme sport helped him overcome his struggles. He said, "Through my search for death, I found my life." This means that by facing his biggest fears, he learned to appreciate life more.

Amazing Jumps and Challenges

1999: A Difficult Jump

In 1999, Jeb Corliss had a very challenging BASE jump. This happened at the Howick Falls in Howick, South Africa. His parachute did not open perfectly. This caused him to fly into the powerful waterfall. Luckily, he survived this dangerous moment.

2003: A Tragic Accident

In October 2003, Corliss was part of the Go Fast Games. He was supposed to jump with his friend, Dwain Weston. Jeb planned to fly under the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado. Dwain was meant to fly over it. Sadly, Dwain hit the bridge and passed away. Jeb had to quickly change his path to avoid hitting his friend's body.

2006: Empire State Building Attempt

In April 2006, Corliss tried to BASE jump from the Empire State Building in New York City. He was wearing a camera to record it. However, building security stopped him. The NYPD then arrested him. He received three years of probation and 100 hours of community service. Later, a judge said he was skilled enough not to harm himself or others. But this decision was changed back. Corliss is now permanently banned from the Empire State Building.

2009: Flying Like a Bird

In 2009, a TV show called Daredevils: The Human Bird featured Jeb. It showed how he faced his fears. The show ended with an amazing jump. Jeb wore a wingsuit and jumped from a helicopter. He flew very close to the top of the Matterhorn mountain. He stayed close to the mountain as he flew down.

2011: Through the Archway

On September 25, 2011, Corliss performed another incredible feat. He jumped from a helicopter in China. He then glided through a 30-meter (98-foot) wide archway. This archway is in Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province. He landed safely with a parachute on a nearby bridge.

2012: Table Mountain Accident

On January 16, 2012, Jeb had an accident while flying near Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. He hit a rock ledge with his legs. This caused him to break both ankles and three toes. He also tore a ligament in his left knee. He had a deep cut that needed skin grafts. He was flown out by the Red Cross. After recovering, he returned to BASE jumping. A video of the accident was later shared.

2013: The "Flying Dagger"

On September 28, 2013, Corliss completed a jump he called the "flying dagger." He jumped from a helicopter in a wingsuit. He then flew through a very narrow crack in Mount Jianglang in China. This crack is about 18 meters (59 feet) wide at the top. It narrows to 4.5 meters (15 feet) at the bottom. It is over 270 meters (886 feet) tall. After finishing the jump safely, Corliss said it was the most intense thing he had ever done. He described it as very powerful and overwhelming.

2016: Movie Stunts

Jeb Corliss worked as a technical adviser for the movie Point Break. This action film, released in 2015, featured wingsuit flying stunts. Corliss also made a brief appearance in the movie.

In 2015, Corliss shared his thoughts on his sport. He said, "I know 100 percent that this sport is going to kill me. That makes me take it very seriously." This shows he understands the high risks involved in what he does.

Other Work and Ventures

Jeb Corliss was the first host of the Discovery Channel show Stunt Junkies. He appeared in 12 episodes. However, he was later removed from the show. This happened after his attempt to BASE jump the Empire State Building in 2006. This jump was against the network's advice.

Corliss is also a co-founder of 3 Triple 7. This is a clothing brand.