The magician David Blaine flew over the city of Page, Arizona, on Wednesday morning, using helium balloons, as captured in a live broadcast.

The feat is a partnership between the magician and YouTube Originals and was titled “Ascension”, which Blaine said was inspired by the desire to do something beautiful for his 9-year-old daughter Dessa.

The helium-filled latex balloons used on Wednesday were not the party shop type. They have been manipulated and can be emptied or popped remotely as needed. A “balloon” made of fiberglass contained a parachute and oxygen. The device also allowed the scene to be filmed.

At an altitude of almost 25,000 feet, Blaine ejected and parachuted to the ground.

The flow started at 9 am EDT, but Blaine didn’t leave the ground until about two hours later. Part of the broadcast included excerpts from Blaine’s training – learning to fly on balloons, parachuting and dealing with lower temperatures.

Skydiving expert Luke Aikins outlined the risks: cold temperatures, hypoxia (defined by the Cleveland Clinic as “low oxygen levels in tissues”), attaching a parachute between the balloons and landing. Blaine said he had not done the feat in its entirety before.

“Ascension” was originally scheduled for Monday and for a totally different location. The endurance artist was to take off from New Jersey and float through New York City.