TL;DR
- Andy Lewis, extreme athlete, dies in a BASE jumping accident.
- He gained fame during Madonna’s Super Bowl halftime show in 2012.
- Lewis was known for his achievements in slacklining and BASE jumping.
- His tragic death highlights the dangers of extreme sports.
- He leaves behind a legacy in the LGBTQ community.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, extreme athlete Andy Lewis, who captivated audiences with his daring performance alongside Madonna during the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show, has tragically died in a BASE jumping accident in Utah. The 39-year-old daredevil was attempting a tandem jump with Arizona businessman Danny Joe Kregle, 68, when the incident occurred on June 14 in the remote Mineral Bottom area, close to the Utah-Colorado border.
The Grand County Sheriff’s Office reported that emergency crews, including two helicopters, rushed to the scene after receiving reports of injuries during the jump. While Kregle died on-site, Lewis endured for several hours before succumbing to his injuries. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident is ongoing.
Known for his incredible feats in the world of extreme sports, Lewis was a prominent figure in BASE jumping, slacklining, and tricklining. He made headlines between 2008 and 2011 by winning four consecutive world titles in competitive slacklining. In 2011, he set a Guinness World Record for slackline surfing at the Diaoshuilou waterfall in China, showcasing his extraordinary skills.
His profile skyrocketed during Madonna’s Super Bowl XLVI halftime performance, where he donned a Roman-style costume and performed on a slackline, leaving audiences in awe. Based in Moab, Utah, Lewis operated BASE Jump Moab, offering tandem jumps to thrill-seekers, and was also involved with Moab Swingers, an adventure attraction featuring a hair-raising rope swing above a canyon.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ucdaEjd1Y4A?feature=oembed
Tributes poured in from the community, with Aerial Arts Moab describing him as their “co-owner and best friend.” His friend and relative, Sydney Laverty, fondly remembered Kregle, stating, “Danny had a wonderful sense of humour and was always looking for ways to make people laugh.”
Lewis’s death serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with extreme sports, which have recorded 540 fatalities worldwide since 1981, including 30 in 2025 alone. One of his most daring feats involved walking a slackline suspended between two hot-air balloons over 4,000 feet above the Nevada desert in 2014.
As we mourn the loss of this extraordinary athlete, we also celebrate his contributions to the LGBTQ community and the inspiration he provided to many. His legacy will undoubtedly live on in the hearts of those he touched.