Graham, a daredevil, performed the deadly jump from the top of Minnehaha Falls in the Blue Mountains, located west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on June 11. The waterfall stands 42.5 m high.
A newly released video shows Graham performing several spins in the air but landing incorrectly, resulting in a broken spine, a fractured sternum, a skull fracture and a ruptured eardrum, according to New York Post.
Despite the severity of his injuries, Graham remained conscious. He swam to the shore and walked to a car park 1.2 km away, without assistance from his friends. However, he later required two major surgeries to treat his injuries.
Vali Graham hospitalized in 2021. Photo by Instagram/@philosophyofsend |
Graham took on the jump in an attempt to break the record held by Swiss athlete Lucien Charlon, who jumped from a height of 41.7 m.
He later shared on X that he was able to walk just two days later.
“Update: ‘God gives us the gift of suffering’ after sending this monster 42.5m cliff, I was knocked unconscious,” he wrote.
However, many people criticized Graham’s risky behavior, particularly his decision to walk 1.2 km with a fractured vertebra.
One person commented: “Thank God? Buddy, you jumped from the height of a 13-story building, and now I have to pay taxes for your stupid choices.”
“God doesn’t give pain, you’ve done that yourself,” another wrote.
In “death jump” competitions, athletes leap from a high place, curl up in the air and dive into the water. Graham, however, failed to achieve the correct form and landed with his arms and legs spread out. The “death jump” championships are typically held in Norway.