A base jump off of Lethbridge’s iconic High Level Bridge looks like a thrill seekers’ dream, and a YouTube video posted over the weekend shows exactly that.
Curtis Huisman was the man behind the camera, and insists the production was no hoax.
“I love that people think it’s fake,” said Huisman, owner of Curtis Huisman Productions. “That shows me I did such a good job that people don’t think someone in Lethbridge could actually do that.”
But they did, and there’s raw video to prove it, along with proof in criminal charges.
John Korthuis, 25, is facing a count of entering on land without permission, as the bridge is private property of CP Rail. More importantly, people are worried about safety.
“We’re concerned the notoriety this video is generating could lead to copycats,” said Kristen Harding, a Lethbridge Regional Police spokesperson. “The last thing we want to have to do is knock on someone’s door and say their loved one has died or been injured as a result of this kind of stunt.”
But those behind the video aren’t trying to encourage other daredevils. They say the jumper didn’t mean for this attention to arise, and only wanted to inspire people to follow their dreams, not to break the law.
Much of the online reception has been positive. The video has only been up for a few days, but already has thousands of views, which is something the producer never expected.
“I knew the video would be cool, but I didn’t think it would just blow up like this,” said Huisman.
For the record, it was a safe landing, but one that is unlikely to be seen again.
“I still watch it and can’t believe I shot it or that it actually happened,” he added.
Police do want to make it clear to the public that the actions depicted in the video are illegal and unsafe.
The viral video can be viewed below:
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