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Nik Wallenda Completes Tightrope Walk Over Atlantic City Boardwalk

By Diana Rocco

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (CBS) -- One foot at a time and with nearly 100,000 people watching, the incredible Nik Wallenda walked the tightrope high above Atlantic City's boardwalk.

"He's a brave man," said one woman in the crowd.

"I'm terrified just watching him. It's amazing. I can't believe it's so far," said Tammy Popik, who came with her three children to see the stunt.

The boardwalk filled up quickly in the minutes before Wallenda climbed to the top of the crane. All eyes were looking up, and many people held their breath and cheered as he made the death-defying trip without a bobble. At times, Nik fist-pumped and waved to people in the crowd.

"I was looking down and giving the thumbs up. There was a guy in the crowd that kept yelling to me, so I had fun with him, and I was making sure my people on the ground had it covered," Wallenda said just moments after the 1300-foot trip from the Atlantic Club Casino to the Tropicana.

"The ropes weren't as stable as I expected. If you saw me walking backwards in the beginning, it's because the lines were covered with sand. I wasn't considering going barefoot, but I was afraid I would slip," Wallenda told Eyewitness News.

Back in June, Wallenda, who is 33 years old and a seventh generation tightrope walker from the Flying Wallenda family, became the first man to cross Niagara Falls. Wallenda completed that walk in less than 30 minutes on a wire the width of a nickel--without a harness or safety net.

After his walk in Atlantic City, Wallenda was greeted by his wife and three kids, as well as adoring fans and Atlantic City's mayor, who proclaimed Thursday "Nik Wallenda Day."

Wallenda says he doesn't get afraid, but he does have respect for the height. For his next trick, he'll be tackling the Grand Canyon.

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