Wildlife Influencer ‘The Real Tarzan’ Survives Skydiving Accident

Wildlife influencer known as ‘The Real Tarzan,’ whose real name is Mike Halston, shared that he’s “happy to be alive” following a serious skydiving accident that left him injured.

On Saturday, he posted a photo to his Instagram, showing himself on a hospital gurney with a bandage on his right leg and wearing a neck brace. He told his 16 million followers about the incident, stating, “I had a skydiving accident yesterday. Will probably be out for a few weeks!”

Halston expressed his feelings, saying, “I’m going to make a video completely updating what went wrong in my bio. I’m pretty devastated right now and in a lot of pain, but just happy to be alive.” Despite the injury putting a pause on his social media activities, he mentioned he plans to return as soon as he recovers.

He jokingly added, “I know a lot of people want to see me go down, but don’t wait too long. Enjoy it while you can!”

While details of the accident are still unclear, Halston has been updating his fans through Instagram Stories. In a clip discussing his pain, he mentioned, “I’m getting there. It’s getting better.”

He described a frightening period after the incident, stating, “I went crazy for about three hours. I couldn’t even breathe. My chest was so tight I thought I was going to die.” When asked by concerned fans about what happened, he remarked it was “just a small mistake” on his part.

In another post, Halston reassured his followers that he is okay, stating, “What happened to my family? Thank God, everything is fine. They didn’t take me off this earth today.” He added, “There’s nothing to worry about,” before expressing hope to see everyone soon.

With over 1.3 million subscribers on YouTube, Halston is recognized for his outdoor adventures and wildlife content. He’s faced criticism in the past for risky behavior, including a video where he engaged with a crocodile in Australia, which drew backlash from wildlife advocates.

Bob Irwin, father of the late wildlife expert Steve Irwin, condemned Halston’s actions and expressed concern over tourists disrespecting wildlife. Irwin highlighted that social media can often glamorize dangerous behaviors toward animals, raising the risk for both humans and wildlife alike.

In response, Halston defended himself, stating he never encouraged imitating his stunts and clarified that the crocodile was released safely following the incident.