European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 13, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Modern living wednesday september 13, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 19 Rietta Wallenda by her not so glamorous trailer. Rujetta carrying on Rietta left Waits to go on Tightrope in performance in puerto Rico. By Magee Hickey United press International Ietta Wallenda is like any other 17-year old girl if you can ignore her balancing on a 50-foot-High Tightrope twice a Day without a net. She was up on the High wire when her famous Grandfather Karl fell 120 feet to his death after a Strong gust of wind caught him off guard in puerto Rico last March. But to the Blond Sarasota fla., native her life is Noth ing unusual. This is what i do that s All. It s All i know How to do and it s All i want to do she says. Rietta is a self possessed Young woman who takes her career and herself in stride. At the exact moment of my Grandfather s death i said i wanted to carry on she said Chain smok ing in her trailer after a performance in Warwick,. Rietta there for a two week stint at an amusement Park is touring the country with three other Wallendar including her brother Mario 21. Now that her Grandfather is gone she is the Star of the show. I be never known any other life. A lot of my family have died doing what i do but i Don t think about it she said. When i m up there All i do is concentrate on what i m doing at that exact  five of the flying Wallendar have died walking the Tightrope. Another Rietta s Uncle Mario is paralysed from the Waist Down. Before network television cameras caught Karl Wal Lenda s fall six months ago the most celebrated fall occurred in 1962 when two Wallendar died and three others were injured in Detroit when their famed seven member Pyramid collapsed. The Pyramid act four men on the Bottom level two men on shoulder bars and a woman standing on i a chair was never resurrected. It was recreated with elaborate safety precautions last february for a television special about the Wallenda family. Today s act is a far cry from the itinerant group of j Street tumblers and jugglers that started the Wallenda performing tradition Back in 18th Century Austria Hun j Gary. J today the performers appear in purple Satin and sequin suits and climb up the ropes to the soothing Rock jazz sound of Chuck Mangione s song feels so  the act still has its tense moments. Wallenda Cousin Farrell Hettig slipped on a rain Slick High wire while skipping a jump rope Over the Warwick amusement Park. He caught himself by sitting Down on the wire something Karl Wallenda tried to do but failed. Not All of Rietta s relatives go into the family business. Her brother Ricky 22, is studying at a Bible College in Europe. Her sister Valerie 8, is too Young to work professionally. Rietta says her Grandfather would t let her work with him until she was 13. But i practice on a Low wire waiting for that Day Ever since i was 3. And i took three years of Ballet for balance  if it had t been for High wire Rietta says she does t know what she would have done with her life. I hated school and everything about it. I was never any Good at it the 10th Grade dropout said. Touring the country most of the year with the shrines circus and her Wallenda Tightrope quartet Rietta s life appears exciting. But she said i did t Start doing this High wire for the Glamour. It s not so glamorous when you have to sleep in a cold trailer and there s no running water she said. But i guess it s More fun than what most people  up 3 hit by wind Karl Wallenda tried to hold the wire but fell to his death in new York