RIP Dave Mirra

LetsGoMteers

Was my favorite BMX rider growing up. Committed suicide today in Greenville NC. 30 minutes from where I live now. RIP buddy you were great

deadendp

I'm sorry.

TL170678

RIP It`s fucked up, but I listen to Jason Ellis show on sirius, he was a skateboarder, and a lot of these dudes have serious brain injuries from concussions.

eeriepadave

Wow, Heard he died but didn't know it was suicide. Rip

Dr. Delight

Shocked

HesCalledDyer

You know, we the public are always shocked and saddened by celebrity deaths. But Dave Mirra really hits home. I think of all the really, really good friends I have from high school & college - the ones I still keep in touch with, pay a visit, etc. We are all friends because we all rode bikes. My best friend won 2nd place in flatland/street in a trial competition for the very first XGames, competing against guys like Kevin Jones & Chase Gouin.

Dave Mirra was successful at every venture he undertook, whether it was BMX, rally, whatever. He has won the most Gold medals in X Games history. He has a beautiful wife & two children. What would cause a man who has been at the top of his game his entire career, who has a beautiful family, to take his own life?

TL brings up a very good point about concussions. I mentioned that while texting all my friends last night. With the talk of concussions & CTE in professional sports, namely football and hockey, and the tragedies that have befallen athletes in those sports, it was the first thing that came to mind. Athletes in the "action sports" world put themselves and their bodies at risk every time they hop on a skateboard, bike, snowboard, etc. No one ever does a trick perfectly without practicing it several times, which means many, many crashes, bailouts, etc which often lead to injury. It is shown that head trauma can lead to depression.

Obviously no one knows what was going on in Dave's mind except Dave himself. But I can only speculate that the years and years of injuries & head trauma left his mind volatile.

I look at my friends and think, man, we're all 38-42 years old. It's weird to think we look up to someone like Dave Mirra as a pioneer & a hero... and then realize he is our age! Dave Mirra is us! He is our peer. And to sit and think that if it wasn't Dave, this story could have been any of the guys I know.

I don't know. I'm really in shock over this as it hits home really hard. I have a whirlwind of emotions going through me even this morning after hearing the news last night.

Whether it was result of depression stemming from CTE or not... if you yourself are feeling thoughts of depression or know someone who does... REACH OUT!!! Because the next time, it might not be a superstar like Dave Mirra, it may be someone close to you!

LetsGoMteers

HesCalledDyer said:

You know, we the public are always shocked and saddened by celebrity deaths. But Dave Mirra really hits home. I think of all the really, really good friends I have from high school & college - the ones I still keep in touch with, pay a visit, etc. We are all friends because we all rode bikes. My best friend won 2nd place in flatland/street in a trial competition for the very first XGames, competing against guys like Kevin Jones & Chase Gouin.

Dave Mirra was successful at every venture he undertook, whether it was BMX, rally, whatever. He has won the most Gold medals in X Games history. He has a beautiful wife & two children. What would cause a man who has been at the top of his game his entire career, who has a beautiful family, to take his own life?

TL brings up a very good point about concussions. I mentioned that while texting all my friends last night. With the talk of concussions & CTE in professional sports, namely football and hockey, and the tragedies that have befallen athletes in those sports, it was the first thing that came to mind. Athletes in the "action sports" world put themselves and their bodies at risk every time they hop on a skateboard, bike, snowboard, etc. No one ever does a trick perfectly without practicing it several times, which means many, many crashes, bailouts, etc which often lead to injury. It is shown that head trauma can lead to depression.

Obviously no one knows what was going on in Dave's mind except Dave himself. But I can only speculate that the years and years of injuries & head trauma left his mind volatile.

I look at my friends and think, man, we're all 38-42 years old. It's weird to think we look up to someone like Dave Mirra as a pioneer & a hero... and then realize he is our age! Dave Mirra is us! He is our peer. And to sit and think that if it wasn't Dave, this story could have been any of the guys I know.

I don't know. I'm really in shock over this as it hits home really hard. I have a whirlwind of emotions going through me even this morning after hearing the news last night.

Whether it was result of depression stemming from CTE or not... if you yourself are feeling thoughts of depression or know someone who does... REACH OUT!!! Because the next time, it might not be a superstar like Dave Mirra, it may be someone close to you!

Well said. Mirra and Tony Hawk were gods to me growing up

Sprunkn7

I always loved watching him compete (on tv) Who knows what he was feeling? His body has been through so much maybe he was in constant pain? Or the knocks to his brain gave him other damage? Or maybe he was depressed and do what so many other do.
I always think of that young guy that jumped off A bridge and survived. He said as soon as his feet left the rail he knew he made a mistake. He goes around talking to kids about his experience. people have a right to their own lives but man....suicide is so awful for the people left behind.