Criss Angel Mindfreak

Criss Angel Mindfreak. Just hearing the name provokes curiosity and imagination. Two things that the illusionist puts together greatly in his show. I'll explain how he came to be the amazing person he is today.
Criss started to like music when he was six years old. When he was ten, his aunt Stella taught him a card trick. He was instantly amazed and begged her to teach it to him. Little did she know that this simple card trick would lead him to a long future of magic ahead.
He learned as much as he could about magic, and found a love for Harry Houdini. When later asked why he liked Houdini so much, he answered. His name is still synonymous with magic. Even though he's been dead for many years his name is still popular with people today. When he was a teenager he had an idea. He could put magic and music, two of his favorite things, together to make one show. Criss dreamed of becoming famous and being featured on the covers of the leading magic magazines. If only he had known what would become of him in the future.
Things were going good, until one day his family found out that John Sarantakos (Criss's father) had cancer. They told him he would only have a few weeks to live, but he proved them wrong. He actually batlled it for many years until their family?s darkest day, he died. Criss was devastated by his father's death but later drew strength from the fact that his father was very strong willed and didn't listen to what anyone else said. He became the biggest inspiration in Criss Angel's life.
Criss started a show called Mindfreak at the World Underground Theater in New York City. The show was filled with strange creatures, enchanting music, awesome effects, and unbelievable illusions. The show became such a hit that he did shows six days a week! In all, he did about six hundred of his mystifying performances. Also, because of his love for music, he came out with three cds with his band called Angeldust, plus a soundtrack to his show.
He also broke two world records. Both proving that mind is over matter. One was staying in a tank of water for twenty four hours, before making an incredible escape. The second was hanging for eight fishhooks through his flesh for six hours. Then he walked on two, two-inch wide beams across a water tower blindfolded, with nothing to catch him if he fell but the ground beneath him. But that still wasn't enough for Criss! After becoming Miller Light beer's spokesperson, he prepared to do a tribute to Houdini. On the coldest day of the year in Milwaukee, Criss hung upside down from a high rise building, making an escape from a straight jacket.
On October 20th , 2002 Criss's television special aired gaining him lots of new fans and publicity. Then on Halloween of 2003 Criss made another spectacular show called Supernatural. Which again gained him more fans and publicity. As a third television special he went to Japan to make his name known internationally. The show received high ratings and the people of Japan loved him.
Next, he broke a record of winning the World's Greatest Magician award twice! It was for the years 2001 and 2004. Finally his dream was coming true, he was famous. But it got even better. He was featured on the covers of the top two magazines of the type, Genii Magazine and Magic Magazine.
Criss was very happy with all of this. But of course, publicity and attention always bring jealousy. Another illusionist David Blaine challenged him to prove to the world who the true provocateur was. Criss accepted the challenge with open arms but Blaine just said some petty insults and backed off. After ignoring Criss's calls to make the challenge a reality, Blaine wouldn't answer questions about it and didn't do anything. Criss stated when asked about it his biggest fear is me. Which is apparently true seeing as it's been a while since the challenge started and still nothing has happened. Obviously David Blaine is a coward and knows that Criss could beat him at anything he could possibly come up with.
Criss Angel is right now planning his new show, Mindfreak 2. It is supposed to be bigger and better than ever. Starting in March 2004, it will be a world tour making Criss known throughout almost every country. His future plans are to do magic for the rest of his life and he's thinking of doing movies since he?s said that film interests him.
As the author of this assignment I'd like to say that I?m happy to know he'll be meeting new people, getting more fans, and touching other people's lives. He has touched and changed so many people's lives already, more than he'll ever know. He's given his fans hope, inspiration, and even saved some of their lives from ending. Criss Angel has given everyone new ways of thinking and seeing things. He's taught people so much, including to believe in themselves and to never lose hope. Criss has always been there to support his adoring fans when times were hard, and because of this we will always love and support him. If there were any way to give back all that he's shown and given to us, we would, and we will always from the bottom of our hearts be thankful to him. If someone asked me who the most amazing person alive is, I would tell them Criss Angel Mindfreak.