Jean Lussier

I have googled away the mystery of my Niagara Falls "hero".

Jean LussierJuly 4th, 1928
Jean Lussier, a native of Quebec, designed a six foot rubber ball composed of 32 inner tubes and a double-wall steel frame. One of the biggest crowds on record saw the stunt on July 4th, 1928. The ball took some hard knocks in the rapids but the skip over the Falls was perfect. About one hour after entering his ball, Lussier stepped ashore none the worse for wear. For many years he displayed his ball at Niagara Falls and sold small pieces of the inner tubes for souvenirs at 50 cents a piece.
http://www.niagaraparks.com/nfgg/trivia.php

Apparently Jean invested his life savings of $1500 (a lot of money in 1928) in the construction of the ball. By 1928 attempts at crossing the falls were illegal. He sounds like a real character.
My 3 signed photos are fantastic memento’s of this event, and his later life