Nearly 1,000 people crammed into a hall of the Fashion Outlets here Sunday morning. Their eyes were lit. Their cameras and phones were held up in front of their faces. They squealed and murmured to one another in anticipation.
And then, suddenly, they broke into raging cheers once Nik Wallenda emerged through a side entrance.
Wallenda gave autographs to his large fan base at the mall before publicly accepting a ceremonial pen and copy of the bill that gave the daredevil permission to traverse the Niagara Gorge on a high wire, presented to him by Assemblyman Dennis H. Gabryszak, D-Cheektowaga.
The daredevil successfully walked 1,800 feet across the falls on a two-inch wire Friday night.
The legislation to allow Wallenda to cross the wire was signed by both Gabryszak and State Sen. George D. Maziarz, R-Newfane, and passed with a 149-1 majority vote. Gabryszak said that the Wallenda greatly boosted the economy of the area, and that Wallenda hopes to come back to Niagara Falls and create an exhibit featuring his walk, which would further benefit the city.
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