Who was the couple who climbed the Empire State Building?
Daredevil mountaineers Angela Nikolaou and Ivan Bielkas are making waves with their blatant marriage proposal atop the Empire State Building.
Years before the Empire State Building expansion made headlines, Ivan Bielkas and Angela Nikolaou opened up to USA TODAY about their risky career prospects.
The Russian couple, known for climbing impossibly tall buildings without ropes or other safety equipment, reached the top of the famous New York City structure’s 1,454-foot antenna on July 1, where they unfurled a banner that read, “When the power of love overcomes the power of love, the world knows peace.” Bielkas (32) then proposed to Nicolau (33).
The stunt shocked onlookers and forced police to close off roads in the area. But for Mr. Bielkas and Mr. Nicolaou (who is currently facing charges of reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, robbery and “BASE jumping”), it was just another day in the life.
Ahead of the 2024 release of the Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” the pair spoke to USA TODAY about the sport of “rooftop.”
Will Ivan Bielkas and Angela Nikolaou quit?
Skywalkers: A Love Story tells the story of Bielkas and Nicolaou’s relationship on a rooftop and their 2022 mission to climb Merdeka 118, a 2,227-foot-tall building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In a July 2024 interview with USA TODAY, they talked about how they started practicing daredevil.
“I was afraid of heights like most people when I was younger, but I wanted to challenge myself and that’s where Rooftop came into play,” Biercas said.
Nicolau, a gymnast and the son of a circus performer, said the risky pursuit is as much about personal fortitude as it is performance art. “I was also scared, but as you can see in the documentary, my grandmother used to say, ‘All women in our blood are strong,’ so I was used to never showing weakness,” she explained.
In the documentary, the two vow to each other that Merdeka 118 will be their last climb. But they both admitted that wasn’t entirely true, as it’s hard to resist any chance.
“Every time we arrive in a new city, we can’t help but worry about the roof. We can talk about not doing so, but when a new roof is installed in front of us, we get excited,” Nicolau said, while Bielkas pointed out that “unstable buildings can give us panic attacks, so we no longer climb on cranes.”
“We are looking for more unusual roofs to provide rare photographs,” Biercas added.
Body camera video shows arrest of couple who climbed Empire State
Body camera footage released by the New York City Police Department shows a trespasser being arrested after climbing to the top of the Empire State Building.
As for the fear of death, both Nicolau and Bielkas said it was worth the risk. Nicolau said her cousin died from an embolism at the age of 18, and that the experience made her want to “live life to the fullest.”
“Would you rather live a long life, smoldering like a coal, or burn brightly like a fire? I want to burn brightly,” she said.
Bielkas agreed. “A person can live 100 years, but if life is boring, it’s not the same. We want to live these bright moments to the fullest. We consider ourselves artists, and we want to show others what it’s like to pursue your passion.”
Ivan Bielkas and Angela Nikolaou share their hopes for the future
As for their partnership, Bielkas said climbing Merdeka had “made their relationship stronger” and acknowledged “what an unusual couple we are”.
“We’re probably one in a billion people who found each other,” he continued. “Whatever secrets we had, we told each other the night before the climb, which made our relationship even stronger.”
He said that while they are “a normal couple who fight every day,” watching their journey on screen “reminded me that we have to choose each other every day. It’s not about the roof over your head or the big emotional issues, it’s how you treat each other every day.”
They also mentioned the possibility of having children together. “I come from a crazy circus family, so you can draw your own conclusions,” Nicolaou teased.
She also told kids who want to emulate her and Bielkas: “Don’t do it. It’s dangerous. But the same goes for gymnastics, skiing, and skydiving. They all have risks. My message is, decide what you want to do and stick to your guns.”
Contributors: Natalie Neysa Alund, Ralphie Aversa, Michael Loria, Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
