Alain Robert

Vocation

Traits

Family

French urban climber called "Spiderman" for his daredevil achievements at climbing more than 70 buildings and bridges including the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Sydney Australia, at age 41, without ropes or safety equipment. He uses just his bare hands, plimsolled feet and an eagle good luck charm given to him by an American Indian chief. In addition to the Sydney Harbor Bridge, for which he was arrested upon his descent and released on bail, he has climbed Malaysia's Petronas Towers, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, and the straight-faced, glass-fronted Sears Tower in Chicago. Reportedly he began his career at age 12 when he lost his keys and scaled the side of his apartment building up to the 8th floor in France Robert almost lost his life in 1982 when he took a bad fall while rappeling. He was in a coma for five days and had so many fractures in his body that the doctor considered him 66 per cent handicapped. They also said that he could never climb again. But six months later, he was again climbing. His list of climbing achievements is endless, see Wikipedia link. On 10 May 2012 he climbed the highest skyscraper of France, La Tour First, in the Defense quarter west of Paris. He is married with three children. Link to Wikipedia biography