Extreme athlete Andy Lewis and Arizona resident Danny Joe Kregle died during a tandem jump in a remote canyon area.
MOAB, Utah — A tandem BASE jumping accident in a remote Utah canyon killed two men on June 14, including renowned extreme athlete Andy Lewis, whose performance alongside Madonna during the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show brought national attention to the sport of slacklining.
The deaths shocked the close-knit extreme sports community and drew renewed focus to the risks associated with BASE jumping, one of the world’s most dangerous recreational activities. Authorities said Lewis, 39, and Danny Joe Kregle, 68, were conducting a tandem jump at Mineral Bottom in Grand County when the accident occurred. Investigators have not publicly released a detailed explanation of what went wrong, and the circumstances surrounding the fatal jump remain under review.
Emergency responders were dispatched Sunday after reports of injuries during a BASE jumping attempt in the Mineral Bottom area, a rugged canyon landscape near the Utah-Colorado border. Deputies, emergency medical personnel, search-and-rescue teams and two medical helicopters responded to the remote location. When crews reached the scene, both men had died from injuries sustained during the jump. Authorities later identified Lewis, a longtime resident of Moab and a prominent figure in several extreme sports disciplines, and Kregle, an Arizona businessman, father and grandfather. The pair had been participating in a tandem jump, a format in which two people are harnessed together under a single parachute system. Grand County Sheriff Jamison Wiggins confirmed the identities of both victims as family members and friends began sharing tributes and memories online.
Lewis was widely known in adventure sports circles for pushing the limits of slacklining, highlining and BASE jumping. Friends and fellow athletes described him as exceptionally skilled and fearless. John McEvoy, a BASE jumping instructor who had previously jumped with Lewis, said Lewis possessed “an incredible level of athleticism and skill” developed through years of practice. Lewis also operated BASE Jump Moab, a company that offered tandem BASE jumping experiences for newcomers. Promotional materials from the business showed participants leaping from cliffs while attached to experienced guides. Kregle’s family remembered him as a successful businessman with a strong sense of humor and a passion for entertaining others. Relative Sydney Laverty said one of Kregle’s greatest joys was performing magic tricks with his granddaughter. Officials have not said whether weather, equipment issues or other factors contributed to the accident.
Lewis first gained widespread public recognition during Madonna’s Super Bowl halftime performance in 2012. Dressed in a Roman-style costume, he performed tricks on a slackline suspended above the stage while the singer performed before a massive television audience. The appearance transformed him from a respected niche athlete into a recognizable figure far beyond the adventure sports world. Long before that performance, Lewis had already established himself as a leading competitor in slacklining. He won four consecutive world championships from 2008 through 2011 and earned international attention for record-setting feats. Among them was a Guinness World Record for slackline surfing above China’s Diaoshuilou waterfall. In another widely publicized stunt, he crossed a slackline stretched between two hot-air balloons more than 4,000 feet above the Nevada desert. His accomplishments helped popularize modern tricklining and highlining among younger athletes around the world.
The accident also highlighted ongoing debates within the BASE jumping community about tandem jumps and the sport’s overall safety record. BASE jumping involves parachuting from fixed objects such as cliffs, bridges, antennas or buildings. Unlike traditional skydiving, participants begin much closer to the ground, leaving far less time to react to equipment problems or unexpected conditions. Researchers and safety experts have long considered BASE jumping significantly more hazardous than conventional skydiving. Some experienced jumpers argue that tandem jumps provide newcomers with a controlled introduction to the sport, while others believe attaching an inexperienced participant to another person increases potential risks. Authorities have not announced whether a formal investigative report will be released. No criminal allegations or regulatory actions have been reported in connection with the accident.
In the days following the tragedy, tributes poured in from athletes, business owners and longtime friends. Aerial Arts Moab, an acrobatics company connected to Lewis, described him as a co-owner, close friend and influential member of the local adventure community. Fellow athletes recalled his willingness to attempt difficult feats that others avoided. Some remembered his infectious enthusiasm and his role in helping introduce newcomers to outdoor sports around Moab. Family members of Kregle focused on his relationships with children and grandchildren, describing him as someone who enjoyed bringing laughter to those around him. The loss of both men resonated beyond Utah, reaching communities connected through extreme sports, business and family ties. Their deaths prompted expressions of grief from people who knew them personally as well as admirers who followed their achievements from afar.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing. Officials have not announced a timeline for any final findings. For now, family members, friends and fellow athletes continue mourning the two men while awaiting additional information about the circumstances that led to the fatal jump at Mineral Bottom.
Author note: Last updated June 21, 2026.