(CNN) -- Cloaked in darkness and enveloped by mist, aerialist Nik Wallenda walked across Niagara Falls on a tightrope late Friday and into the record books. It was a historic walk that observers say was in line with his appetite for the extreme and the high-wire customs of his "Flying Wallendas" family. Pumping his fist in the air, Wallenda sprinted the last few steps on the wire. After touching down on Canadian soil, he embraced his family, grinning ear to ear. The tense 1,800-foot journey took 25 minutes, according to CNN affiliate CTV. "I'm extremely blessed to be where I am," Wallenda said after stepping onto Canadian soil.
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NEW: Other daredevils have tried their luck, but farther downstream
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Next on his to-do list? The Grand Canyon
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Wallenda had a near fall after stumbling on a tightrope above Baltimore's Inner Harbor
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His great-grandfather was killed at the age of 73 attempting to walk between two buildings
"It's been a dream of mine for a long time," Wallenda told CNN before the @placeholder attempt.