Man's Selfie on Christ the Redeemer Statue Will Make Your Head Spin

It’s being called one of the craziest selfies of all time and I see no reason to disagree. From Lee Thompson, the founder of The Flash Pack, this picture on top of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is stunning and terrifying all at once.

Thompson was in Rio photographing preparations for the World Cup. A colleague managed to arrange a special visit to the statue and with the assistance of a few workmen and some Go Pro cameras, he made it to the top where he took the photo above. Via The Flash Pack:

Twenty minutes into the climb I reached the heart of the Christ made from beautiful Mosaics. After what felt like an eternity of pressing heat and pitch darkness, we finally reached the small compartment in Christ’s shoulder. I grabbed the rope and pulled myself along the smooth soapstone up into the head of the statue where we carefully opened the hatch. My heart was pounding with excitement and I couldn’t wait another second.

As I popped my head out of the hole in Jesus’ crown, I was in total and utter awe as my eyes met with a vast panorama that quite literally took my breath away. Talk about a religious experience! I’ve never been afraid of heights or tight spaces, but experiencing acrophobia, claustrophobia and profound awe at the same time was something truly remarkable.

He also shot this BATSHITCRAZYVIDEO which at least one Jezebel writer has refused to watch because he gets “height-sick just looking at those.” (I promised to protect his anonymity.)

Here’s what he has to say about selfies, which you should read before you start to roll your eyes and go “UGH A SELFIE POST UGH.”

To some, taking pictures of yourself is considered vain, but this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity taught me that the selfie is a powerful medium through which we can share our perspectives, inspirations and personal stories with the world at large. It’s not about funny mugshots with scenic backdrops or daredevil stunts. It’s a way to mark the moment and say, “I was here”.