“Fear does not overcome you. You overcome fear.”
Ivan is an aviator who has always loved extreme adventure. After completing some of the most challenging rope access and aerial vertical access projects, he fought his way to promote volunteer rescue initiatives to government agencies and military institutions.
Nicknamed as Spiderman by the Canadian and international media in 1995, Ivan Kristoff had many copy cats and followers who were inspired not only by his abilities to free solo climb high-rise buildings, but also to save lives from the exterior of super high-rise buildings and tall structures.
For Ivan, it is not just about pushing his limits and crossing boundaries. It’s about living your dreams and accepting new challenges that others have claimed as “Mission Impossible”.
His motto “Work smart, not hard! Be brave, so others can be safe!”, and Ivan’s gift to attractively show what he means during risky operations, while hanging on ropes from flying helicopter or some of the tallest structures, have contributed to the safety enhancement of the Ontario safety legislations for rope access and many methodologies for vertical and aerial suspended access.
His interesting ways of communication, have led him to become a world class speaker for innovative concepts for the vertical and aerial world of rescue.
By combining his special events with multi media work, Ivan was invited by the Mayor of Toronto Mel Lastman to support and raise money for those causes closest to his heart – the kids. These initiative have resulted in raising over $ 500,000 for the Mount Sinai Hospital, the Canadian Liver Foundation, Hospital for Sick Kids, Centenary Health Centre Foundation, the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, the Community Association for the Riding Disabled, and the Rouge Valley Hospital Health System Foundation in Toronto
“I believe in working and giving back to society. Just a few years after I helped the Mayor of Toronto to raise money for the Mount Sinai Hospital, I had my first child born in the same hospital…”, say Ivan Kristoff.
In 2005, Ivan found the “Special Operation Services” – S.O.S. Team in Bulgaria. His mission is clear:
“My name is my Mission:
To create a network of innovative initiatives
for the vertical and aerial world of rescue”
I.V.A.N. Kristoff
