Two people were killed in a weekend base jumping accident in a Utah canyon, including a daredevil athlete famous for performing with Madonna at the 2012 Super Bowl, authorities said.
Victims identified
The Grand County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Andy Lewis, an extreme athlete known for base jumping, slacklining, and tricklining, was among the dead. The other victim was identified as Danny Joe Kregle, a 68-year-old businessman from Arizona.
Lewis gained overnight celebrity after appearing on stage during Madonna's Super Bowl XLVI halftime show in 2012. Dressed in a Roman toga, he performed tricks on a slackline while Madonna sang behind him.
Details of the accident
Emergency responders were dispatched on Sunday to Mineral Bottom, a remote desert area near the Utah-Colorado border, following reports of injuries from a base jumping attempt. Lewis and Kregle died at the scene, according to the sheriff's office.
Lt. Al Cymbaluk confirmed Lewis's death but provided no further details on the accident.
Lewis's career and risks
Lewis owned Base Jump Moab, a business offering tandem jumps to inexperienced customers. He acknowledged the sport's dangers, saying in a 2023 interview, "It's weird to think about how many people are dead, because it's like a normal thing."
He won four consecutive world championships in competitive slacklining from 2008 to 2011 and set a Guinness World Record for slackline surfing in 2011 above China's Diaoshuilou waterfall. In 2014, he walked a slackline between two hot air balloons over 4,000 feet above the Nevada desert.
Second victim remembered
Danny Joe Kregle was described by family as a devoted father, grandfather, and active community member in Paradise Valley and Mesa, Arizona. He was passionate about boxing and travel.
