Daredevil Couple Scale Empire State Building Spire for 1,400-Foot Proposal

Jul 2

Online footage from TikTok with over 13k viewers tuned in to the high altitude proposal.

The Spire Stunt and a 1,400-Foot Proposal

A breathtaking stunt turned into a high-altitude marriage proposal—and then a swift trip to central booking—as a pair of notorious daredevils scaled the very peak of the Empire State Building’s antenna.

For New Yorkers gaping from the sidewalks of Midtown Manhattan, the sight of two dark figures balancing 1,454 feet in the air was an alarming spectacle. The climbers, identified by authorities as Russian nationals Angela Nikolau (Angelina Nikolau, 33) and Ivan Beerkus (Ivan Kuznetsov, 32), ascended the skyscraper's broadcast tower without harnesses or safety tethers.

The dramatic episode unfolded around midday when the couple managed to slip through a maintenance area past the building's public observation decks. Reaching the absolute summit of the transmission tower, they unfurled a massive black banner with bold white lettering that read: "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace."

After displaying the message, which was captured by news helicopters and stunned tourists below, the couple began a partial descent to a slightly wider ledge. There, Beerkus dropped to one knee to present an engagement ring. Nikolau quickly shared a photo of the ring against the bird's-eye backdrop of the Manhattan grid to her millions of social media followers, cementing the ultimate, if highly illegal, daredevil engagement.

Who Are the "Skywalkers"?

The couple is far from anonymous in the world of extreme urban exploration. Nikolau and Beerkus were the central subjects of the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which detailed their transition from competitive rival "rooftoppers" to romantic partners.

Netflix has released a handful of shows and livestreams about people climbing buildings in recent months including "Skyscraper Live" featuring Alex Honnold.

Over the past decade, the duo has amassed a massive global following by illegally scaling some of the tallest structures on Earth, including the 2,227-foot Merdeka 118 tower in Malaysia and massive construction cranes across China. They frequently use disguises and scout security blind spots for days before pulling off their ascents.

Straight to Central Booking

The romantic high didn’t last long once the couple stepped back down the latticework. The NYPD Emergency Service Unit—an elite squad trained for high-altitude rescues and interceptions—ascended the spire to meet them.

According to police bodycam footage, an officer greeted the couple on a narrow ladder with, "Well, you can't be up here," to which an off-camera voice replied, "We are engaged." They were arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court, facing a long list of charges including:

Felony reckless endangerment
Burglary
Criminal trespass
Possession of burglar’s tools
Criminal mischief

Management for the Empire State Building released a statement confirming that while the incident was completely unauthorized, security and police handled the situation without any danger to building guests. They dryly reminded the public that the building's official observation decks remain a much safer, more practical place to propose.