(CNN) -- A circus perfomer working without a net died Saturday after falling about 35 feet during a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus show, while hundreds of children and parents watched in horror.

 

A statement from Ringling Brothers said Dessi Espana, 32, was pronounced dead seven hours after the fall at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.

 

 

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How sad, and in front of all those kids.

That's just horrible..

wow. that's horrible...

The saddest part is that it wasn't even her fault....Owen Michaels had a similar accident, no?

 

I always been in awe of stuntmen, wiremen, climbers and top-flight acrobats. The discipline and talent one must have, the hard work - you can't fake your way through it.

Barry Bonds makes a mistake and he pops the ball up - these guys make a mistake and they die or are badly paralyzed.

 

Just looking at that picture, face brimming with life...