What’s ye olde fire breather to do?

For years, David Bragg traveled the U.S. performing in sideshows, medieval reenactments, and Renaissance festivals as a fire breather, knife thrower, juggler, stilt walker, nail-bed layer, and glass walker. Eventually, though, a decade of travel and dare deviling took their toll: arthritis, neuropathy, and carpal tunnel in both hands forced Bragg to retire from performing.

“When your hands stop functioning the way they should, it gets dangerous,” he says. “It became unsafe to throw knives or juggle fire anymore.”