Stuntman Chachi “The Rocketman” Valencia suffered injuries during a human cannonball stunt that went wrong, an incident caught on camera.
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The stuntman known for his “human cannonball” act was hospitalized on March 2 after an accident during his performance at the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival in California. Fair officials shared a statement on Instagram the same day, explaining that Chachi was injured during his 2:30 p.m. act and was quickly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Valencia was propelled from a cannon at 55 mph, soaring 65 feet high to land 165 feet away in a narrow safety net. However, per the Los Angeles Times, windy conditions caused him to miss the target.
Instead, he fell onto the asphalt and suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.
A GoFundMe Page Has Been Established for Chachi ‘The Rocketman’ Valencia
Valencia’s family started a GoFundMe campaign to share details about his injuries and the difficult recovery journey ahead.
“As a result of this accident, Chachi sustained serious injuries, including broken ribs, a broken wrist, and a lacerated liver,” the page detailed. “He may require surgery in the next 10 days.”
“Beyond the physical pain, the medical bills are already mounting, and the road to recovery will be long,” the page’s message continued. “He’s facing significant time away from work and his passion, and the financial strain is adding to the stress on his health and well-being.”
The family has shared that the donations, now exceeding $12,000, will go toward Chachi’s rehabilitation, medical expenses, lost income, and ultimately, get him back to his stunt work.
A few days after the incident and a short stay in the hospital, Valencia shared the moment he realized things had gone wrong and provided an update on his recovery.
“Right before the shot, I think the wind moved and it started a crosswind, and that’s what happened—the wind caught me and threw me off to one side,” Valencia told Fox LA. “I don’t remember anything until I was in the ambulance on my way to the hospital.”
“I’m really sore. It’s hard for me to move around, it’s mostly because of the cracked ribs that I have,” he admitted. “I also have a broken wrist that’s not bothering me so bad.”