OTTAWA, Ill., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- What do the Bible, a parachute and a pair of handcuffs have in common? Escape Artist Anthony Martin...

Martin, a nationally-recognized escape artist turned evangelist, has announced plans to attempt a "Leap of Faith," in Ottawa, Ill., July 13, at 2 p.m. Martin will be handcuffed by an area locksmith before donning a parachute and leaping from an aircraft at 14,000 feet. He will have to free his hands in order to deploy the parachute and save his life. Martin, 44, an escape artist who has been featured four times in Ripley's Believe It or Not, has reserved July 14 as a rain date should weather conditions prohibit the attempt.

The handcuffs for the escape attempt will be supplied by a Joliet locksmith and verified to be legitimate and unaltered before the leap. The escape is being made possible by the sponsorship of Skydive Chicago, which will both prepare Martin and film the attempt at its skydiving facility located at 3215 E 1969th Road in Ottawa, Ill.

The film of the stunt will be shown at Martin's evangelistic outreaches.

Aerial escapes have been a signature stunt for Martin, who has escaped from a locked box thrown from an airplane as well as a similar handcuffed jump over the Snake River Canyon for the Discovery Channel.

Martin, a Christian since childhood, has been using his unusual talents to evangelize and promote his Christian beliefs for the past 12 years.  Ambassador In Chains Ministries, founded by Martin, was launched in 1998 as a resource for local churches.  Details of the ministry are available on his website at www.anthony-escapes.com.  Martin said he uses his escapes as a metaphor for escaping eternal death through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

For the moment, Martin will be preoccupied with the prospect of temporal death while he plummets to the Earth at 180 miles per hour.  Martin estimates his body position and altitude at the time of the jump should give him between 40 and 50 seconds to free himself if he is to survive.

For more information please visit these helpful websites: www.anthony-escapes.com or www.skydivechicago.com.  

SOURCE Ambassador In Chains Ministries

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.anthony-escapes.com
http://www.skydivechicago.com