By Nigel Maxwell

Cool fundraiser

P.A. man prepares for icy plunge

Feb 13, 2019 | 5:11 PM

Prince Albert’s Roger Boucher will be wearing only a speedo and a smile when he attempts his most dangerous escape to date this weekend.

On Saturday, the well-known magician and hypnotist will attempt to escape from handcuffs and chains, while submerged in ice cold water at Murray Point Bay. Boucher who has been training for almost a year, told paNOW he’s excited about the upcoming challenge.

“I’m just getting excited now that I know I’ll be able to hold my breath for two minutes underwater. It makes me feel a lot more comfortable,” he replied, when asked where his mind at in the final few days before the big event.

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Anyone who has been following Boucher’s training through his Facebook page, has watched him hold his breath while underwater in his bathtub. Boucher, a father of two, said balancing family time has been challenging at times.

“It’s just more with my wife. While I’m training she’s like ‘Oh you’re holding your breath again,'” he said with a laugh.

The event Saturday is a fundraiser for the District of Lakeland Fire Department. Boucher said the idea for the stunt initially came about during a conversation he had with Fire Chief Chris McShannock.

“He said we need to do something together. We need to get some fundraisers going and then he mentioned this polar bear swim and I was like ‘Hey that’s really cool. Why don’t we do an escape?” he said.

For the sake of safety, there will be a dive team underwater with Boucher watching his every move. Boucher, who hopes to hold his breath for two-and-a-half minutes, said the most challenging part of it all will be staying calm.

“Underwater it’s relaxing and it’s thinking you know you are OK, everything is good, relax and then focusing on what I have to do for the escape,” he said.

Anyone who wishes to donate to the cause can do so through a GoFundMe page or by contacting the Lakeland Fire Department. Others can support by participating in the polar bear swim.

“And that would be after me and without chains,” Boucher said.

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nigel,maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell