He did it! Tightrope daredevil Nik Wallenda crosses gorge

UPDATED: 10:06pm ET:

Famed daredevil Nik Wallenda stepped off the 2-inch wire and kissed the ground after successfully crossing part of the Grand Canyon 1,500 feet above the Little Colorado River Gorge.

Watch Nik Wallenda make the walk here.

Wallenda became the first person to cross part of the canyon on a wire. The walk took just over 22 minutes and Wallenda paused and crouched down twice while crossing the gorge.

His feat wasn't only remarkable for the highwire walk but also the amount of times he praised Jesus.

"Thank you Lord. Thank you for calming that cable, God," he said about halfway across as the wind made the cable sway dramatically.

During those 22 minutes, he reportedly referenced Jesus by name 63 times, "Lord" 34 times, and "God" 12 times.

He also made mention of "father," the "king of kings," and a strange mention of a sorcerer said New York magazine.

Wallenda, 34, is already the holder of several Guinness World Records but this time there was one big difference — there was no safety harness or net to catch him if he fell.

A plunge from the wire would almost certainly have been fatal but Wallenda told CBS before the walk that he would say a prayer, "give my wife and kids a hug and a kiss and tell them I'll see them in a bit."

Call him crazy but Wallenda is in good company. The 34-year old is a seventh-generation member of the famous "Flying Wallendas" family.

His father, mother and uncle were all involved in preparing for the stunt. His wife Erendira, an eighth-generation circus performer, and their three children will be on-site watching.

His father Terry Troffer communicated with Wallenda during the tightrope walk through an earpiece.

"I'm really not that worried,'' Troffer told TODAY on Friday before Wallenda's attempt. "I know his capabilities. I've been through it. I walked the wire for 38 years, so I kind of know what's going through his mind at that time. I'm just kind of watching everything and how he's feeling. We communicate back and forth. If he's got a question, I try to look for the answer for him right away."

Wallenda must have been hoping not to follow in his great-grandfather's footsteps during Sunday's walk.

According to CBS, Karl Wallenda, fell to his death during a performance in Puerto Rico at the age of 73.

Several other members of the "Flying Wallendas" family, including a cousin and an uncle, also died while performing wire walking stunts, reports CBS.

Wallenda's attempt to cross the Grand Canyon on a wire was broadcast live during the Discovery Channel’s "Skywire Live" special Sunday evening.

And for the squeamish, the broadcast included a 10-second delay.