Printed from the Review

Divinely inspired daredevil
Downtown stunt festival set for this weekend
Posted By JENNIFER PELLEGRINI REVIEW STAFF WRITER

Gene Sullivan’s on Team Jesus.

It says so on the back of his blue golf shirt. The white lettering on the back proclaims his faith loudly. So does the red cross on the front, emblazoned with a man on a motorcycle alongside the words “Jump for Jesus.”

But it’s when he suits up in a special leather uniform and jumps on his Honda XR650 bike and jumps through a wall of fire that his faith is most clear.

It’s symbolic of his own path, from what he is convinced would have been one of darkness into the light of faith.

“It’s the biggest jump I ever did,” said the 61-year-old, who will perform the act five times during Daredevil Days on Queen Street. “And I didn’t have too much to do with it.”

Sullivan was a young buck, working as a bodyguard for Evel Knievel and doing some motorcycle stunt work back in the early 1970s when he found himself at a Christian breakfast and being “called by God.”

He walked away from a seven-figure deal and moved to south Florida to become an ordained minister.

With his ministry in place, Sullivan returned to his bike and in 1978 began “Jump for Jesus,” which operates under the umbrella of his New Life Ministries.

The Billings, Mont. resident is one of the showcase acts for Daredevil Days, which runs from Friday through Sunday.

It’s an odd choice of billing for a man who sees his jump through the wall of fire as “crashing through the gates of Hell.”

But Sullivan, who once aspired to be a professional athlete, said he doesn’t see himself as a daredevil.

“I’m more of a stunt man,” he said, noting that the stunts he performs, including the ramp-to-ramp jump through the wall of fire, leaves very little to chance.

“I’ve only ever done one program in my life that I didn’t know if I’d walk away from,” Sullivan said.

Joining him in providing thrill-seekers something to ooh and aah over are the Nock Thrill Shows which will bring their massive sway poles and Space Wheel to town from their home base in Florida, as well as the Torontobased Zero Gravity Circus.

“There’s going to be something for everyone,” said event organizer Shane Sargant.

Food, drinks and other entertainment will also be available throughout the festival, with Ian Mitchell and the Bay City Rollers and Terry Sylvester of The Hollies taking the stage Saturday night.

While organizers have a full lineup planned, volunteers are still needed to ensure the event is a success.

“Bartenders, setup, cleanup, ticket sales, information booths, we need all kinds of assistance from volunteers,” said Sargant.

To pitch in, contact Daredevil Days at 905-356-5444 or contact organizers through the website at www.daredevildays.com.A schedule of events is also found online at daredevildays.com.

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.ON THE WEB: For a video promo of Gene Sullivan’s ‘Jump for Jesus’ visit:

www.niagarafallsreview.ca

Article ID# 1154436

© 2008 , Osprey Media. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Niagara Falls Review acticles reprinted with permission by the authority of Joe Wallace, City Editor of the Niagara Falls Review

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