Stephens was dragged under the falls by the anvil he had strapped to his feet as ballast despite warnings by more experienced daredevils.

The ball was lined with oxygen tanks, tubes, and valves to keep Lussier alive for up to forty hours in case he was trapped under or behind the falls as Stephens was.

2 miles) above the drop of Horseshoe Falls, Lussier began his journey downstream on July 4, 1928, when he was 36 years old.

[3] Capitalizing on his newfound fame and notoriety, Lussier permanently moved to Niagara Falls, New York, making a living by selling pieces of debris from the rubber ball to tourists.

To maintain a flow of income once he ran out of material, Lussier would pass off pieces of rubber tires as genuine debris from the ball.