Fresh Prince of thin air: Will Smith bungee jumps for 50th birthday
Scott Craven
Will Smith took a dive out of a helicopter to celebrate his 50th birthday Tuesday, Sept 25 and the stunt went off without a hitch.
The actor free-fell more than 200 feet over the Little Colorado Gorge before elastic cords began to stretch, bouncing Smith like a yo-yo over the canyon.
The celebratory bungee jump was witnessed by family members and friends, an entourage who looked on from a temporary platform built near the edge.
The event was streamed live over Smith's YouTube channel as comments from all over the world poured in.
Months ago Smith announced he would mark a half-century on the planet with a jump over the Grand Canyon. Even though the stunt occurred over a side canyon on the Navajo Reservation, no one during the jump's live stream bothered to make the distinction.
Smith emerged from a travel trailer at 3 p.m. Tuesday, greeted by his family and event MC (and "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" co-star) Alfonso Ribeiro.
More than an hour later — after mingling with friends, answering questions from fans and receiving a blessing from a Navajo medicine man — a contingent of experienced stunt performers strapped a thick cable of bungee cords to a safety harness around Smith's waist and chest.
As the actor braced himself on the skids, the helicopter lifted into a clear blue sky and within minutes was hovering over the gorge, in position to drop its human payload.
When given the signal, Smith pushed off and plummeted with his back to the canyon. Within seconds the bungee cord caught hold, Smith screaming with delight.
He soon was delivered safely to solid ground.
The event not only raised money for global-education funds, but allowed Smith to face a fear of heights. During the pre-jump show, Smith talked about how his family drove across country when he was young and stopped at the Grand Canyon.
While his parents and siblings rushed to the edge, Smith said he stayed back, fearful of falling.
He more than made up for that Tuesday.
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