Scott Hammell

Documentary on Scott Hammell - Current News

“Scott Hammell was the absolute best guest speaker we could have asked for during our professional business conference in Toronto. Not only was Scott able to captivate the audience with his incredible magic routine, his motivational speech really made an impact and kept everyone on the edge of their seat! After Scott's presentation, many of our conference participants commented upon how unique and exciting his presentation was. Contributing to Scott's amazing presentation skills, his involvement with Ripley's Believe It or Not seemed to add much credibility to his performance. Overall, there is no doubt in my mind that our organization would love to have Scott back for next year's conference!”-Scott Chapman, President, Laurier XLerate, Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario - Scott Chapman, President Xcelerate, Sir Wilfrid Laurier University - Waterloo, Ontario

“Your show was a hit with everyone. Your interaction with the audience was great. Everyone felt involved in the show. As the organizer of the event I enjoyed working with a true professional who was adaptive to the changing needs of the audience. It was a pleasure to work with you. I would be happy to recommend you in the future and to hire you back.” - Wendy Kornelsen, Coordinator of Volunteers and Special Events, City of Guelph - Wendy Kornelsen - Coordinator of Volunteers & Special Events for the City of Guelph, Ontario

“Dear Scott,
Your hypnosis show was remarkable! Throughout the school year, the individual residence hall councils and university councils have attempted to create some solidarity within the first year population of the university. Your performance garnered more dropped-jaws and laughter than we’ve seen all year!
Your professionalism, your humour, and your kindness are always welcome at McGill! We look forward to working with you in the future.”

Sincerely”

Hayley Lapalme
University of McGill Residences, Montreal, Quebec
- Hayley Lapalme - University of McGill, Residence Services

"Scott Hammell came to our Jr Leadership camp in Quebec. The students listened to his one hour Paid To Breathe Motivational presentation and were amazed by his magical skills. His sessions were huge successes, he delivered a strong and positive message while keeping his audience on the edge of their seat. Scott is a true professional and an inspiration to us all! I would not hesitate to book him again."- Hugues Bertrand, Quebec Director CASAA, Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School, Pierrefonds, Quebec - Hugues Bertrand - CASAA - Pierrefonds, Quebec

“If you are looking for someone who will make your students think, and get them excited about the future, you need to book Scott Hammell. His presentation successfully entertains everyone in the room while teaching the valuable lesson of goal setting and perseverance. Scott is an extremely exciting speaker who students relate to easily. After the presentation, he was surrounded by a large number of students who wanted to know more and get his autograph. I strongly recommend Scott Hammell as a speaker who can energize your student body and leave them with an important message”. – Janeen Ferriss, Teacher, Moira Secondary School, Belleville, Ontario - Janeen Ferriss - Teacher - Moira Secondary School - Belleville, Ontario

OSHAWA -- A juggler came to St. John Bosco Catholic School May 27 and along with an inspiring message, he brought hatchets.

In celebration of the school raising $8,500 for Free the Children, Guinness World Record holder Scott Hammell came to Oshawa May 27 to accept a cheque to build a school in Sierra Leone, and to do some juggling over a brave student, Caleb Bailey.

"Shall we try something a little more dangerous?" Mr. Hammell asked the gymnasium of students, while juggling balls overtop a volunteer.

After telling Caleb to get into a more protective position, Mr. Hammell pulled out some heavier juggling pins.

"Shall we try to make Caleb a little more nervous?" he asked again and reached into his bag of supplies. "Three rusty, razor-sharp hatchets.

"By the way Caleb, are you related to a lawyer?"

But before he started juggling, he stopped and declared he'd never juggle hatchets over a student, and asked for a brave teacher instead.

Although Mr. Hammell didn't actually do any hatchet juggling over a student, he did juggle them.

"Don't try this at home, try it at school," he said, and quickly added, "Just joking."

But along with the fun and games, Mr. Hammell also brought his appreciation for the donation, as well as information about the Free the Children organization to St. John Bosco. Mr. Hammell, a Me to We speaker for Free the Children, is a three-time Guinness World Record holder, and has completed stunts such as escaping from a straightjacket strapped with 50 feet of chains and four padlocks, while hanging upside down from a hot-air balloon. He's also travelled the world as a hypnotist and motivational speaker.

Dressed in a Think We T-shirt, he stood on the stage before the school's students and spoke about passion and the things it can drive people to accomplish.

In Canada, he asked people he knew what they were afraid of, he told the students, while showing them pictures of bugs, snakes, and other items on a big screen in the gym.

"And, of course, most people are afraid of Chuck Norris," he said.

But in Kenya, when he asked the same question, he received much different responses: starvation, not being able to go to school, having no clean water to drink.

Those are some of the things being addressed through Free the Children, an organization started by Canadian Craig Kielburger when he was just 12.

While eating his cereal, Mr. Kielburger reached for the newspaper's comic section, but was stopped by the story on its front page. The article was about a boy from South Asia, sold into slavery at age four for $16, and eventually freed by a human rights group. Afterwards, the boy spoke about his experience of being forced to make carpets as a child, and each time he did, carpet prices fell, Mr. Hammell said. At 12 years old, the boy was shot and killed outside his home.

Mr. Kielburger read the article to his class and, when he finished, he asked who would help him end child labour. At first no one responded, so he asked again. He best friend eventually raised his hand and some others followed. It was on that day that Free the Children was started by a dozen 12-year-olds, Mr. Hammell said.

He also shared other examples of how kids have taken things they're passionate about to raise awareness and make a difference.

"I don't think you guys yet realize how many thousands of people are going to be affected," he added of their donation to build a school.

Spencer Lamash, a Grade 6 student, found it pretty amazing that Mr. Hammell uses his talents and pushes himself to the limit to help raise awareness about Free the Children.

"I think it will help inspire everybody to want to help out," said Emma Dellipizzi, also in Grade 6.

The build-a-school initiative at St. John Bosco began about two years ago, said Lavinia Gallagher, a teacher-librarian. To raise money, kids bought paper bricks instead of Christmas presents for their teachers, created a marketplace with raffles, baked goods, crafts and sold other items throughout the year.

"You have done great things," Mrs. Lavinia said to the gymnasium of students.

Through their related research, it was sad to learn about the kids who are unable to go to school, said Ty Carriere.

"I think it will change me to become a person who wants to help out more," he said. - DurhamRegion.com

HAMILTON — Scott Hammell knelt by the doorway of the little plane, trying to control his breathing. He was about to plunge 11,000 feet to a patch of grass far below. Oh, and he was handcuffed. And blindfolded.

Hammell, 25, had spent two years getting ready for this stunt, learning how to pick handcuffs and overcome his fear of heights. All that for 45 seconds of free-falling at 235 kilometres per hour, before pulling his parachute to crash land in a field outside of Hamilton.

“I was kneeling at the door, ready to jump for like 15 minutes,” he said. “It felt like an eternity for me.”

Finally, out he went.

The Waterloo-raised stuntman had been doing tricks since he was a 12-year-old kid with a deck of cards — but never had he attempted something quite as dangerous as this. As he fell, faster and faster, Hammell tried to focus on his sense of touch.

Hammell, who now lives in Toronto, picked at the handcuffs attached to his waist. Finally free, he reached around and pulled his parachute. He hit the ground with a black bag still over his head, and rolled roughly to a stop.

“I was completely wrapped up in all my parachute lines, lying there in the field while people rushed over, being like ‘Hello? Hello? ‘ ” he said. “Of course my mom is rushing over having a heart attack.”

Hammell’s mother, Mary, is used to watching her son do things that might defy common sense. He’s escaped from a straight jacket while hanging upside-down from a hot-air balloon. He’s done card tricks while skydiving. This summer, he’ll be training for an underwater escape trick first done by Harry Houdini. Next fall, he plans to pull off a vanishing act.

“I want to challenge people to face their fears and understand that impossibility is just a state of mind,” said the Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate grad. “Having the courage to be the first one, that’s what it’s all about.”

The blind, handcuffed skydiving stunt was Hammell making good on a bet he had with a group of students at a Toronto Catholic school. He challenged them last month to raise $8,500 to build a school in Ecuador with aid group Free the Children. Unfortunately for him, the kids raised the cash. He spoke to the students as part of his work as a motivational speaker with the Me to We youth charity, a job that has taken him around the world. It’s a natural fit for Hammell, who says he was born to be onstage — he’s also a magician, hypnotist and entertainer who juggles and cracks jokes.

Not so long ago, he was doing self-taught card and coin tricks for friends and family. By high school, he was escaping from a straight jacket that once restrained patients at a U.S. mental hospital. Juggling fruit turned into hatchets and torches. Unicycles gave way to beds of nails.

Along the way, he’s been bruised up, landed in emergency wards, and scared the heck out of his supportive parents, Mary and Chuck.

He said all those early tricks around Waterloo Region were all stepping-stones to bigger, riskier stunts that have put him in the Guinness World Records, and earned him spots on TV. Hammell’s next stunt, Houdini’s so-called milk can escape, will see him shackled and manacled, locked in a steel drum, and submerged in water. No big deal.

“I’m working to hold my breath underwater for between four and five minutes to allow myself enough time to escape. It’s a bit of a challenge.”
- The Spec - Hamilton (www.thespec.com)

Scott Hammell knelt by the doorway of the little plane, trying to control his breathing. He was about to plunge 11,000 feet to a patch of grass far below. Oh, and he was handcuffed. And blindfolded.

Hammell, 25, had spent two years getting ready for this stunt, learning how to pick handcuffs and overcome his fear of heights. All that for 45 seconds of free-falling at 235 kilometres per hour, before pulling his parachute to crash land in a field outside of Hamilton.

“I was kneeling at the door, ready to jump for like 15 minutes,” he said. “It felt like an eternity for me.”

Finally, out he went.

The Waterloo-raised stuntman had been doing tricks since he was a 12-year-old kid with a deck of cards — but never had he attempted something quite as dangerous as this. As he fell, faster and faster, Hammell tried to focus on his sense of touch.

Hammell, who now lives in Toronto, picked at the handcuffs attached to his waist. Finally free, he reached around and pulled his parachute. He hit the ground with a black bag still over his head, and rolled roughly to a stop.

“I was completely wrapped up in all my parachute lines, lying there in the field while people rushed over, being like ‘Hello? Hello? ‘ ” he said. “Of course my mom is rushing over having a heart attack.”

Hammell’s mother, Mary, is used to watching her son do things that might defy common sense. He’s escaped from a straight jacket while hanging upside-down from a hot-air balloon. He’s done card tricks while skydiving. This summer, he’ll be training for an underwater escape trick first done by Harry Houdini. Next fall, he plans to pull off a vanishing act.

“I want to challenge people to face their fears and understand that impossibility is just a state of mind,” said the Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate grad. “Having the courage to be the first one, that’s what it’s all about.”

The blind, handcuffed skydiving stunt was Hammell making good on a bet he had with a group of students at a Toronto Catholic school. He challenged them last month to raise $8,500 to build a school in Ecuador with aid group Free the Children. Unfortunately for him, the kids raised the cash. He spoke to the students as part of his work as a motivational speaker with the Me to We youth charity, a job that has taken him around the world. It’s a natural fit for Hammell, who says he was born to be onstage — he’s also a magician, hypnotist and entertainer who juggles and cracks jokes.

Not so long ago, he was doing self-taught card and coin tricks for friends and family. By high school, he was escaping from a straight jacket that once restrained patients at a U.S. mental hospital. Juggling fruit turned into hatchets and torches. Unicycles gave way to beds of nails.

Along the way, he’s been bruised up, landed in emergency wards, and scared the heck out of his supportive parents, Mary and Chuck.

He said all those early tricks around Waterloo Region were all stepping-stones to bigger, riskier stunts that have put him in the Guinness World Records, and earned him spots on TV. Hammell’s next stunt, Houdini’s so-called milk can escape, will see him shackled and manacled, locked in a steel drum, and submerged in water. No big deal.

“I’m working to hold my breath underwater for between four and five minutes to allow myself enough time to escape. It’s a bit of a challenge.”
- The Record (Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario)

Episode SummaryAdd/Edit

Human Chain Escape - Scott Hammell will attempt to free himself from a straight jacket wrapped in fifty feet of chain, while hanging by his ankles fifteen feet under a hot air balloon.
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- Ripley's Believe It or Not

Scott Hammell won’t ride a bike without a helmet and has never touched a cigarette in his life, but when it comes to jumping out of planes, he loves that there are no limits.

The 25-year-old Waterloo native is a stuntman and three-time Guinness world record holder.

He recently set a new record after skydiving handcuffed and blindfolded from an altitude of 11,000 feet, skillfully unlatching his handcuffs with just enough time to release his parachute.

“I don’t even remember much of the stunt, because half the time I’m so focused on the task at hand,” said Hammell.

Hammell’s stunt evolved from one of the first speeches he made on behalf of Me to We, a social enterprise started by Craig Keilburger of Free the Children. He spoke to students at Monsignor Percy Johnson Catholic High School in Toronto, and used his stunt as an incentive to help students reach their fundraising goal to build a school in Ecuador.

“I wanted to prove to the students that impossibility is in the mind, and that anyone can make tremendous changes as long as they set their mind to it,” he said.

Hammell was kneeling in the plane, anticipating the drop for 15 minutes before he took his big leap of faith. He said he couldn’t see what was happening, and his mind was spinning faster than he knew his body soon would be.

“All of these things start going through your mind, and I started wondering what was taking so long,” he said.

“I’ve had a lot of dreams about skydiving, so at one point I wondered if the experience was even real.”

After a couple more minutes had passed, Hammell felt a light tapping on his arm. That was his signal; it was go time. He he knew there was no backing down.

“I didn’t get much of a nervous feeling, but that’s because I never perform a stunt unless I know I’m ready,” he said.

Throughout his 45-second free fall, Hammell said there was a point where it felt like his body was getting ripped in half.

“I was flying at 135 miles per hour, which is much faster than what I’m used to,” he said.

He also had two practice runs earlier that day. During one of the trials, Hammell wasn’t able to release his handcuffs and had to rely on another skydiver to open his parachute for him.

Hammell says it’s crucial to practice as hard as he does, so that all the necessary precautions are in place while he’s working to perfect the stunt.

“You never want to celebrate too early,” Hammell said, laughing.

“As soon as you let it get to your head, that’s when mistakes can happen.”

It was a two-year process for Hammell to prepare for this 45-second free fall.

Hammell grew up in Waterloo and attended high school at Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate. He currently lives in Toronto, and has travelled the world as a magician, hypnotist and motivational speaker. Whether he is suspended in a straightjacket or juggling while dangling upside down in the air, he uses his performances to motivate others to overcome their fears and transform the impossible into reality.

Hammell says he has a couple of new stunts in the works.

One includes attempting Houdini’s underwater challenge, remaining sealed in an airtight casket containing only five minutes of air for an hour and a half.

“I want to use my passion to help change the world, and encourage others to want to do the same,” he said. “I am able to do what I love and still make a living out of it while helping others.

“It really doesn’t get much better than that.”

For more information on Hammell and his previous performances, visit: http://www.metowe.com/press - Brittany Devenyi, Special To The Chronicle