It was the first time in his magic career that Mindfreak star Criss Angel was forced to halt a dangerous Houdini-styled escape.

Medical and safety officials stopped him from being lowered, while manacled with handcuffs, metal chains and foot restraints, into the shark and stingray filled seawater aquarium tank at the Silverton.

But now Luxe Life has learned exclusively, after months of increasing his stamina and signing away new waivers for insurance and medics, Criss will defy death one more time when he attempts the insane stunt again on Sunday.

Even when he rehearsed the stunt for the first time almost a year ago—without being lowered all the way to the bottom—he almost failed to break free. Panicking safety divers rushed to assist—with just seconds left on the clock—and Criss wound up severely cutting his back on the rocks in the tank. They rushed him to the surface for air while simultaneously avoiding the sharks and stingrays! At that point, resort-hotel officials ordered Criss to stop the stunt. They refused to let him enter the water because of potential eardrum damage from deep water while trying to free himself from a locked metal box that will be held down on the bottom of the tank with lead weights. They demanded he produce medical clearances from doctors to guarantee his underwater safety. Criss reluctantly abandoned the escape.

“I promise to get all the paperwork in order. We’ve released the Silverton, the insurance and medic people from all responsibility and liability, so now I have to do it and perform the escape. That will happen Sunday,” he told me. “It’s not just getting free from the restraints,” he said, “then I have to be able to get my hand outside the exposed bar and pick one lock and then unravel an un-known combination of a second lock—and then get to the surface without blowing out my eardrums from the pressure. This has never been done before underwater. I have to hold my breath and the steel box—no larger than an animal airlines luggage box—gives me absolutely no room for movement.

“For the first attempt I trained myself to hold my breath for up to four minutes underwater, but with all the exertion of getting out of the metal cuffs on my hands and feet, it gets used up much faster. If I could get out in 30-seconds, believe me I would, but it takes almost the length of my hold my breath quotas. There’s not much room for safety. So I went to the experts to learn how to hold my breath even longer and I’m confident now I’ve got the extra time to get free.”

The box has been designed with one end open with bars so spectators can watch his life and death struggle. Hundreds are expected at the Silverton to watch the stunt.

“I can’t disappoint them again,” promised Criss. The Silverton’s beautiful salt-water aquarium is an 117,000-gallon artificial reef, home to over 4,000 tropical fish from all over the world, three species of stingrays and six species of sharks. The aquarium is designed as an octagon to permit viewing on all sides. The front viewing window is an impressive convex window that extends 25’ X 12’ and is one of the largest single piece of curved acrylic in the US.

Criss explained why he’s determined to accomplish the impossible in front of a live audience: “Houdini did this escape once in a wooden box with no openings. He had it lowered into a murky river so nobody could see anything. I’ve been called the 21st Century Houdini and I want my fans to see me inside the box and getting free,” he told me. “I know this is dangerous. I know I am risking my life. But I have to push the envelope. I have to give the best performances. The fans expect it.”

Last night the Make-A-Wish Foundation honored Criss with a special ceremony at the Luxor complex. He was named the top TV celebrity who has given the most time and energy to the Foundation. Earlier, Criss’ pal Sully, the lead singer of Godsmack presented him with a custom drum set as an advance birthday gift because he won’t be able to attend the official birthday celebration at PURE nightclub next Wednesday. Luxe Life will monitor the Sunday stunt from start to finish and on Monday will report on the outcome—whatever happens.