Christopher Campbell was standing at a downtown sausage stand in London, Ontario in 2012 when someone began harassing him and a friend. After 17 kicks to the head and, according to court reports, being kicked around "like a soccer ball," police believed the incident would likely end up a homicide. But, despite the severe physical injuries he sustained, Campbell pulled through.

For a long while, the resultant post-traumatic stress disorder left Campbell unable to leave his house. Fast forward to 2019: he still struggles with intense PTSD and anxiety, but he's also amassed so many world records he's lost count. Campbell, also known as FenyxFyre, is a fire breather.

Watch the video:

"If I hadn't been attacked I never would have started doing world records." Filmmaker: Kelli Kieley 5:40

"One of the reasons I got into doing these things is because I was afraid to live," Campbell tells filmmaker Kelli Kieley.

Prior to the incident, Christopher had tried his hand fire breathing at an amateur level. He came back to it after many months of coping with his paralyzing fear and anxiety — but this time, he decided, he'd take performing more seriously.

"I lived a point in my life when I did a lot of self-harm," he remembers. "I was able to take that almost creatively and switch it around so that it's not a bad thing anymore."

(CBCArts)

Setting performance dates forced him to get outside and break out of his internal prison. Trying to break world records gave him a goal to work towards, and he was recently named the Director of Online World Records, where he is living his dream of being able to mentor other performers to (safely) achieve their ambitions. He holds more than 30 world records — but in this video, he attempts to break that coveted Guinness World Record for the most flames blown in 30 seconds.

(CBC Arts)

(CBC Arts)