X Games legend Dave Mirra has died at the age of 41. The legend was found in his truck by Greenville, North Carolina police with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Mira leaves behind a wife and two children. Dave Mirra is the most successful X Games athletes in history. He won 24 medals (14 gold). After turning pro and narrowly surviving being struck by a drunk driver when he was 19, Mirra finished 2nd in BMX Vert in the first ever X Games (1995).
He quickly becomes a legend of the X Games.
Dave Mirra’s official website bio
"It is rare that an athlete truly transcends their sport, but BMX legend Dave Mirra has done just that – achieving iconic status not only in the world of BMX but in all of action sports and beyond. Winning more X Games gold medals than any other competitor in the history of the Games, his rise to the top has not been an easy one.
Riding the streets on his BMX bike with his older brother, Mirra was jumping curbs and flying over dirt jumps by the age of five. In 1992, after graduating from high school he turned pro and quickly overthrew Mat Hoffman as the undisputed vert champion. In 1993, a drunk driver struck Mirra and nearly ended his career, but since then Mirra has not only recovered and returned to his bike, he has become the most decorated X Games BMX rider of all time with more than 20 medals to his name.
"In 2000, he became the first park rider to land a double backflip in competition, and has topped almost every major podium at least once. Initially competing in both the vert and park disciplines of the Dew Tour, Mirra finished fifth in the vert year-end standings on the 2005 Dew Tour, but was unable to finish out the ‘06 season after he lacerated his liver at the second stop of the Tour and he has not competed in vert since. His consistency in 2009 resulted in his best park finish on the Dew Tour circuit, taking second place overall after opening the Tour with a first-place finish at the Nike 6.0 BMX Open.
"Holding nearly every accolade possible for a BMX or action sports athlete, Mirra has won everything from “Freestyler of The Year” by BMX Magazine to the ESPN Action Sports and Music Award for BMX Rider of the Year in 2000. After a brief stint hosting the popular MTV series “Real World/Road Rules Challenge,” Mirra and his wife settled down in Greenville, N.C., quickly making it the hub of the BMX world."
"Anything you want to get better at is a commitment. Without commitment, there would be no success." – Dave Mirra.
Fair well, friend!
