Alex Honnold’s Wife Shares Thoughts on His Climbing Journey: “I’m Grateful I’m Not in His Shoes”
Alex Honnold’s recent ascension of Taipei 101 has left his loved ones breathing easier now that he is safely back on solid ground. The star of Skyscraper Live undertook the challenge of free solo climbing the 1,667-foot skyscraper in the Taiwanese capital for an upcoming Netflix special.
His wife, Sanni McCandless, shared her relief during a press conference after the climb, admitting she was grateful not to be in his position as she watched him scale the tower. “When you really love someone, and you think that they might be stressed, you say, ‘I wish I could take their place, I wish I could take their stress away,’” McCandless said. “But in this case, I was like, ‘Thank god I’m not him!’”
McCandless explained that once Honnold left the ground, she felt a sense of calm. “I knew the second he left the ground, it would all just… get quieter, be more of an internal experience, and then just be joyful. So, I was really happy once it just started,” she added.
Tying the knot in 2020, following his previous Netflix doc Free Solo (2018),
McCandless opened up about her concerns regarding Honnold’s climbs since they became parents. “There are things where I’m like, ‘That doesn’t feel so family friendly.’ For sure, there’s moments,” she noted. “But that’s how partnership works. Everybody kind of speaks their mind, you say your piece, and then you kind of see what decision is made.”
Reflecting on Honnold’s focus in the lead-up to the climb, McCandless said, “This project came together in a very cool way… I remember not being in resistance to it, but just kind of not having it in my mind. And then two months ago, being like, ‘Oh, this is coming up, this is happening.’”
She expressed her unwavering support for Honnold, stating, “I felt that in my heart, we’re liking in, full support mode, whatever happens happens. I’m just here for you… That’s what makes us a good team, I think.”
Following its livestream on Friday, Skyscraper Live is now available to watch on Netflix.
