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Dave Mirra Is Dead....

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
fuck. dave was the first bmx guy who really amazed me with his ability and style. seeing him get into rally racing then triathlons just cemented him in my mind as the badass i always thought he was. it's a shame he was apparently in so much pain...
 

ianjenn

Turbo Monkey
Sep 12, 2006
2,998
702
SLO
It just seems so weird. The police found him with an "apparent self inflicted gun shot wound" so they have not done all forensic work yet. I know he is dead but having another take his life versus doing it himself may make it a bit easier on his family...
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,884
448
RIP Mirra This sucks- it has been a rough week. Lost one of my good bmx/MTB friends a couple weeks ago. What is the deal?

Any other old timey bmxers here who can help me remember what video had Mirra showing his shoulder scars, and then re lacing a new hoop onto a hub by taping the spokes together?
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,057
1,298
Styria
RIP Mirra This sucks- it has been a rough week. Lost one of my good bmx/MTB friends a couple weeks ago. What is the deal?

Any other old timey bmxers here who can help me remember what video had Mirra showing his shoulder scars, and then re lacing a new hoop onto a hub by taping the spokes together?
I may be fooled, but I think a Props produced one.

Damn, this week sucks big time. :-(
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,541
5,471
UK
Memory's ropey at the best of times but was it Road Fools? ^^

RIP Mirracle boy :'(

Stupid fucking guns :(
 

Tim300wsm

sensitive teenager
Jul 18, 2015
66
17
Pennsylvania
I met dave at Woodward about 15 years ago he was a real class act. He gave me and my brother some tips and just shot the shit with us. He was really down to earth and funny. I always look up to him as a kid. I feel terrible for his family and community they lost a hell of a guy
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,644
1,214
Nilbog
let's just hope that 2016 goes uphill, with all the music deaths and riders over the past 2 months this place (earth ball) is a mess...
 

Muddy

ancient crusty bog dude
Jul 7, 2013
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907
Free Soda Refills at Fuddruckers
One has to wonder - two young girls, a lasting marriage... no sense and nonsense.
Sure - a pioneer in cycling and very recognizable, but at the end of the day it's all about those kids and all about family.
Another lost soul, keep his family with good intentions.
 
Dec 9, 2015
113
114
This is a real bummer. I just keep wondering why he would do this? I loved watching him when i was younger. Amazing talent.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
Stupid fucking depression :(
Fixed that for you.


It's sad news, but not all together shocking. Think back about 2 years when mental health in the NFL due to head trauma was all over the news, action sports are no different. No doubt Mirra bonked his head pretty good a couple of times, and there's a definitive link between concussions/head trauma and depression. Depression is a motherfucker, just because he was happy a week ago, doesn't mean he was happy and rational yesterday. Sucks to lose such an influential rider, but I have a bad feeling that this is only the beginning for action sports athlete suicides.
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
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448
^^^Don't forget Colin Winklemann- RIP
Another pro bmxer who took his own life who was also a big part of the Greenville scene.
It always bugged me how of "swept under the rug" his death felt in the bmx media at the time. No discussion on depression, and brain trauma wasn't even part of the discussion back then.

Once again RIP Mirra
 
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'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
not to pile on with depressing news, but BMXer Brian Histand's remains were found in south mountain park recently after missing for 2 1/2 years. not sure if it was reported here or not back then.

reading through the info it appears a single or possibly repeated head injury's lead to his situation as he seemingly parked his car with his bike locked in it and just wandered into the desert. this is after being found naked in a field by police officers who said there was something going on with him mentally.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,541
5,471
UK
there's a definitive link between concussions/head trauma and depression. Depression is a motherfucker
I know all too well from first hand experience.
Not to derail the thread but stupid fucking guns make killing people/yourself a hell of a lot easier. I probably wouldn't be here today if I had had easy access to one.


Full version:

Such a waste.

:dead:
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,057
1,298
Styria
It's just so sad. I still have a Haro poster in my basement featuring him.

Can't imagine the hell his family is going through right now.
 
Dec 9, 2015
113
114
Fixed that for you.


It's sad news, but not all together shocking. Think back about 2 years when mental health in the NFL due to head trauma was all over the news, action sports are no different. No doubt Mirra bonked his head pretty good a couple of times, and there's a definitive link between concussions/head trauma and depression. Depression is a motherfucker, just because he was happy a week ago, doesn't mean he was happy and rational yesterday. Sucks to lose such an influential rider, but I have a bad feeling that this is only the beginning for action sports athlete suicides.
Have to agree on that. Many of these guys have hit their heads so many times throughout their careers. It is the same thing as the situation in the NFL. Hoffman, Mirra, and others of that generation started these sports where these injuries happen often and now years later the possible conesquneces manifest themselves.
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
I'm a little surprised no one is talking about the lack of helmets in BMX. Will this (new evidence linking concussions with suicidal tendencies) renew the call for increased use of helmets by pros? (and yes, I know that helmets haven't been entirely effective at preventing concussions, but they're getting there, and it's better than a backwards baseball cap or a toque isn't it?!_
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,010
1,146
El Lay
^ old guys talk about it and some wear them.

There have been major pros with head injuries who had to wear helmets for safety, post-injury.

BMX has been trying it's hardest to be as gritty and "street" as skating for a couple decades now... helmets are as uncool as you can get. It's an uphill battle.
 

Tim300wsm

sensitive teenager
Jul 18, 2015
66
17
Pennsylvania
I watched Chad kagy go 13 feet out of a vert ramp and case on his way back in. Head and shoulder first it was the worst sight and sound I had ever seen. I never thought twice about wearing a helmet again.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
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In the bathroom, fighting a battle
I know all too well from first hand experience.
Not to derail the thread but stupid fucking guns make killing people/yourself a hell of a lot easier. I probably wouldn't be here today if I had had easy access to one.

Yes, guns and quick and easy, but so are pills, ropes, bridges, oncoming traffic, etc. Looking at suicide rates and methods in similar Countries (USA, UK, Aus. and Canada) they're roughly equivalent despite the massive number of guns here in the States. We can draw one of two conclusions, either we're much happier here, and access to guns has lead to scores of extra suicides, or choice of method depends on convenience, but access to firearms doesn't cause suicide.

When you blame the methodology first, you're casting a shadow on the motivation, and as a result, we as a society tend to forget the underlying cause.

Mirra had guns for decades, what changed that he managed to get along just fine all this time, and then all of a sudden chooses to end it?



Will this lead to greater acceptance of helmets in BMX? Probably not. The possibility of instant death of turning into a vegetable hasn't done much to convince people to wear helmets, why would a delayed death several years after your career is over matter?
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,541
5,471
UK
Pills. quick??? er... no. often really not the case.
ropes easy? er... I disagree but I was never in the Scouts.
Traffic and bridges are easy but incredibly selfish methods. (and just happen to be the most common choice for achieving successful suicide in my country).

The Suicide rate in the US is double that of my country. (UK)

I wasn't attempting to cast any shadows by stating the obvious. Easy access to a gun makes suicide easier (and less selfish). I wasn't creating a hierachy of methodology I simply happen to hate guns. There's absolutely no reason to have one ever.

There's no way I will ever forget the underlying cause. (Read what I wrote earlier in the thread)

I have had more concussions than anyone else I have ever met - way into double figures... The majority of them were not from bike riding. I don't wear a bike helmet very often (probably once every 8-10 rides in summer, slightly more in the winter due to headtorch mounting). Mirra on the other hand did wear one.

Whichever way you look at it guns are fucking stupid. Get over yourself Maxeydor.
 

Tim300wsm

sensitive teenager
Jul 18, 2015
66
17
Pennsylvania
are you one of those who NEED an assault rifle for hunting?
Mostly archery but I have a muzzle loader and a blot action with a 2 round capacity. No assault rifles in my house and for the dentist reference I hunt (and eat) deer not lions. There is not one trophy on my walls. I also fish
 
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Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,541
5,471
UK
After reading that ^^ I tracked down an online site for "Concussion" the Movie to watch... I totally get why Dave only watched the first half. :cray:
WOW!
Fuck me. as someone who also suffers all sorts of memory/mood/personality problems from one too many concussions (well into double figures, starting pretty young... but actually very few in the grand scale of things from bike riding) that was like the phone call after watching the VHS film from "The Ring" but for real. :o

I don't usually get so serious or openly shout about the stuff that really matters online to strangers but FFS if you suffer in silence.. learn to TALK... those who care about you won't think any less of you. Strangers will probably be decent too (if that's your bag)

Hopefully some good will come from his diagnosis. I read they're pretty close to being able to diagnose CTE in living sufferers now.
 
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slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
After reading that ^^ I tracked down an online site for "Concussion" the Movie to watch... I totally get why Dave only watched the first half. :cray:
WOW!
Fuck me. as someone who also suffers all sorts of memory/mood/personality problems from one too many concussions (well into double figures, starting pretty young... but actually very few in the grand scale of things from bike riding) that was like the phone call after watching the VHS film from "The Ring" but for real. :o

I don't usually get so serious or openly shout about the stuff that really matters online to strangers but FFS if you suffer in silence.. learn to TALK... those who care about you won't think any less of you. Strangers will probably be decent too (if that's your bag)

Hopefully some good will come from his diagnosis. I read they're pretty close to being able to diagnose CTE in living sufferers now.
Going OT again here, but I always wondered why the northern hemisphere is so unaware of psychological therapy. I'm not talking about the usual shrink/medication combo, but of actual Lacanian or Freudian therapy. It might take some time (and effort, and frustration), but the results are totally worth it, and it won't get you junkied on any pill. Coming from an infancy full of bullying and intra-family violence, and having a drink addiction in my early 20s I'm more than sure working on my inner demons is what got me to my 40s.