They Call Him the Human Bird

 :The Visual News Incredible Humans Series:

It is not often that suicidal thoughts can be the source of something positive in someone’s life.  When he was growing up Jeb Corliss often had thoughts of suicide and was extremely depressed.  For someone that does not care whether they die or not, base jumping and parachuting seem like a perfect fit. Jeb started out as a skydiver and then went on to become a base jumper.  His depression went away, but then became an obsession.

He has accomplished base jumps off of many of the most iconic structures in the world from the Eiffel Tower to the Petronas Towers.  In 2006, he attempted his most serious endeavor: he nearly jumped from the Empire State Building in New York City, but was stopped and faced a year in prison for the attempt. (Watch the video below to see real footage from the jump)

Soon, his passion for base jumping developed into a new sport called proximity wing suit flying.  This new sport uses a wing suit to fly in extreme close proximity to the ground or other structures.  These wing suits allow a base jumper to glide at a rate equal to the rate of their fall (or a downward angle of about 45 degrees), which does not exactly make the base jumper a bird, but gets them as close to it as possible. Jeb has now done proximity flights at the Corcovado in Rio de Jainero, the Matterhorn, and many more.  The videos defy belief.  Jeb Corliss truly has cojones of steel.