A renowned daredevil known for his breathtaking stunts, including a memorable performance alongside Madonna during the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show, tragically lost his life in a BASE jumping accident near Moab, Utah. This unfortunate incident, which occurred over the weekend, claimed the lives of two men, as confirmed by the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.
Andy Lewis, celebrated for his daring feats and for setting a highline record 480 feet above Las Vegas back in October 2013, was involved in a tandem jump with another diver in Mineral Bottom, Utah, on Sunday. The adventure that he was so passionate about ultimately led to this heartbreaking outcome.
Residents of Moab remember Lewis as a vibrant individual who left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. “He was a very big personality,” one local told News Media on Monday, reflecting the sentiments of many in the community who were familiar with his fearless spirit.
Lewis’ final Instagram video, posted Sunday not long before his death, showed him doing a flip off a cliff in the desert outside Moab.
Lewis’s extraordinary skills were on full display when he balanced on a slackline moments before breaking the urban highline world record at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on October 16, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nevada. His feats were not just acts of bravery but also a testament to his dedication and passion for pushing the limits of what is possible. (Isaac Brekken/WireImage)
As those who knew him mourn his loss, Andy Lewis will be remembered not only for his incredible achievements but also for the indelible mark he left on the world of extreme sports and beyond. His adventurous spirit inspired many and will continue to do so in the years to come.
During the tandem jump, something went wrong, and both men suffered fatal injuries, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The second victim, described only as a man about 50 years old, has not yet been publicly identified.
“The Grand County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and all those affected by this tragic incident,” the statement concluded.
Lewis was originally from California and relocated to Moab, where he picked up the stage name “Sketchy Andy” for his death-defying stunts.
Slackline daredevil Andy Lewis (R) hugs his mother Lynn Lewis after breaking the urban highline world record at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on October 16, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Isaac Brekken/WireImage)
He appeared on an episode of Red Bull’s “Ultimate Rush” in 2016, where he attempted a highline walk between two hot air balloons 4,000 feet in the air.
At the time of his death, he held a Guinness World Record for a slack rope walk above a waterfall in Mudanjiang City, China.
Slackliner Andy Lewis of the US balances as he walks on a highline from the rooftop of a building in Bangkok on July 23, 2014. Lewis set a world record after walking on a highline from the rooftop of a building to another covering a distance of 169 metres in one hour and five minutes. (Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP via Getty Images)
He had performed stunts on at least three continents and previously set records in Bangkok, Thailand, and at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
Lewis had also been part of a group of four men who removed a mysterious 12-foot-tall metal monolith that appeared on public land outside Salt Lake City in 2020.
