Social Media Star Dies After Falling Off 62-Storey Building For Dangerous Stunt

A stunt gone tragically wrong has seen a Chinese daredevil reportedly plummet to his death from a 62-storey skyscraper.

Wu Yongning, self-described as “China’s First Rooftopper” was attempting a risky maneuver back on November 8 on the edge of the Huayuan International Centre in Changsha, a city in central China, when he lost his grip, the South China Morning Post reports.

According to police, the 26-year-old died from the fall, with his girlfriend contacting authorities on November 9 after he did not return home.

Yonging’s step-uncle Feng Shengliang believes his nephew was seeking prize money of 100,000 yuan ($20,000 AUD) to help pay for his wedding alongside medical costs for his sick mother.

“He planned to propose to his girlfriend [the day after the challenge],” Feng said.

“He needed the money for the wedding, and for medical treatment for his ailing mother.”

A former movie extra, Yongning amassed thousands of followers on Weibo for his daring stunts, which saw him scale Chinese skyscrapers without wearing any safety equipment.

Prior to his death, he had shared almost 300 videos which drew upon his “martial arts training and careful planning” and also warned against copycat attempts of his stunts.