Jay Cochrane has spent his life meeting the challenge of the wire and perfecting the art of skywalking.

Working outdoors, he must overcome brutal temperatures and high winds. Cochrane holds several world records, including distance (2.5 miles) and time on the wire (21 straight days).

A native of Toronto, Canada, Cochrane became an entertainer at the age of 14, when he ran away from home and joined Toronto's Royal Hanneford Circus.

Taken under the wing of Mrs. "Struppi" Hanneford, aka Princess Tajana, a well-known aerialist, he quickly moved from cleaning after the animals to walking and cycling on a wire.

"The first thing she taught me was self-respect," he said. "Whatever I become, I owe it all to her. She never judged me, and she has always been there for me."

In 1965, a poorly built tower collapsed during a performance in Toronto. Cochrane's life and career almost ended as he fell 90 feet to a concrete floor. At the time, doctors said the best Jay could hope for was walking with two canes for the rest of his life.

But after nearly four years in hospitals, Jay was back in the air. He thanks the Anglican nuns who cared for him for bringing him back to life -- and the wire. "They were determined to make me walk again because they couldn't stand the thought of me staying there," he said.

During his convalescence, Jay earned a master's degree in bridge and structural engineering from Toronto University. "At the time, I never thought that studying structural engineering would be such a pivotal choice for me," Jay said. "I talk to engineers as we prepare for walks and we can speak the same language." He now designs and rigs all his walks.

After his recovery, Jay moved straight to skywalking. His first skywalk took place in Toronto in late 1070 between two 50-story buildings. "The first time, I was scared to death," Jay admitted. "When I finished I went, `Hum. what's next?'"

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