Jasen Getready News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

>> jason had this grand idea. he really wanted to break through the local market into a national spotlight. >> jason is performing an extraordinary feat, one that has taken four months to prepare. it's a well-known escape act created by harry houdini in the '20s. it entails hanging upside down, escaping from a straightjacket. only jason plans on taking it up a notch. >> the twist on it was that he was going to perform this stunt with the rope that was holding him upside down on fire. >> jasen's best friend joe chasny works as his emcee. he remembers the day clearly. >> we were out on site real...

>> she's not nervous at all. >> how do you feel about your brother performing? >> very, very calm. >> they filmed the events of the day from a distance. the local news is there to cover jase as jasen getready to take the stage, the weather begins to turn. >> you maybe can't see, but there's a huge storm blowing in here. the wind is majoy picking up. and it's raining. nig falls and the crowd is filled with anticipation. >> we were so concerned with putting on an entertaining show -- i'm telling you, it never occurred to us at any moment the rain would be a factor. a hurricane could have come to...

>> the crane lifts jasen up above the crowd 50 feet above the river. >> so jasen's job was to get out of the straight jacket, detach himself from the harness. he'd be free and clear from the rope. and with any luck as he's being brought down the rope burns through showing a dramatic finish to a successful stunt. >> but things don't go as planned. immediately joe sees jasen struggling with the straight jacket. >> the canvas that these straight jackets are made from will shrink and tighten in the rain. it's just that much harder to get out of. >> jasen's sister is getting impatient. >> go, jasen...

The platform and on the rope. i knew the fire would burn through the rain as long as we had more fuel than we had rain. >> minutes away from the performance, jasen appears relaxed, even jovial. >> and they set the magician on fire too. >> just after 9:00 p.m., joe makes the announcement. it's show time. >> ladies and gentlemen, the man of the hour! let's hear it. make some noise! >> a professional camera crew records the action as jasen gets strapped into the harness and joe lights the rope on fire. meanwhile, jasen's sister in the audience c bh. >> oh, god got theesmp in my throat.

We needed to get hown and close to us. >> jasen's sister yells in desperation. >> i remember people yelling go faster, bring him down. but he couldn't. he was literally going as fast as he could. >> the crane operator lowers jasen into the river as firefighters battle the flames. >> i saw him lifeless hanging back. i was really, really scared. i didn't know what the situation was at that point. i knew it wasn't good. >> but then slowly joe chasny sees signs of life in his friend. ung urns out t b ly centimete from his body.