Utah BASE Jumping Tragedy Claims Two Lives, Including Andy Lewis, Super Bowl Performer
BASE jumping accident kills 2 including – A fatal BASE jumping incident over the weekend in a Utah canyon left two individuals dead, one of whom was Andy Lewis, an adrenaline-seeker renowned for his high-profile appearance during Madonna’s 2012 Super Bowl halftime show, authorities reported.
Emergency crews were called to Mineral Bottom, a remote desert expanse near the Utah-Colorado border, on Sunday after a jump accident was reported. The Grand County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the tragedy involved a tandem leap, where two participants are connected via a shared harness, as detailed by Aerial Arts Moab, an acrobatics group that described Lewis as “co-owner and best friend.”
Among the victims was Danny Joe Kregle, a 68-year-old grandfather and businessman. His family member, Sydney Laverty, shared that he “had a wonderful sense of humor and was always seeking ways to make people laugh,” adding that “one of his greatest joys was performing magic tricks with his granddaughter.” Lewis, who also operated BASE Jump Moab—a business catering to beginners—was known for his daring feats, including leaping from towering cliffs while suspended in tight spaces or delaying parachute deployment beyond typical standards, according to John McEvoy, a BASE instructor in Twin Falls, Idaho.
BASE Jumping: Riskier Than Skydiving?
A study from Norway highlighted the heightened dangers of BASE jumping compared to skydiving, estimating a five to eightfold increase in injury or death risk. Lewis himself acknowledged the sport’s peril, telling documentary filmmaker Ella Warnick, “It’s weird to think about how many people are dead, because it’s like a normal thing.”
“He had an incredible level of athleticism and skill developed over years of practice, but he would take an incredible amount of risk.”
Tandem jumps, while often considered safer due to their structured nature, still pose significant challenges, McEvoy noted. “Within BASE, it’s a very controversial topic—some call it the stupidest thing, others say it’s the most thrilling experience of a lifetime.”
A Career Defined by Extreme Challenges
Before his tragic accident, Lewis was a celebrated figure in slacklining and tricklining, disciplines blending high-wire walking with aerial stunts at dangerous altitudes. His rise to fame began when he stepped onto the stage of Madonna’s 2012 Super Bowl performance, dressed in a Roman toga, executing flips and tricks on an inch-thick line as if it were a trampoline.
“My phone actually rang itself to death three days in a row,” Lewis remarked in a 2012 interview with Conan O’Brien.
His accolades included four consecutive world titles in competitive slacklining from 2008 to 2011 and a Guinness World Record for slackline surfing, achieved while balancing atop China’s Diaoshuilou waterfall. In 2014, he attempted a record-breaking feat by walking a slackline stretched between two hot air balloons soaring over 4,000 feet in elevation.
As of Monday, no one had responded to contact attempts via phone, text, or social media for BASE Jump Moab, leaving the community to reflect on his legacy of daring and innovation.
