Police in Greenville, North Carolina have reported that BMX icon Dave Mirra, age 41, was found dead today from an apparent suicide. Police had responded to a call at approximately 4 p.m. regarding a possible suicide. When police arrived at his residence, they found Mirra dead in his truck from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. According to police, Mirra was visiting friends in the area before the incident.
Considered an icon in the pro-BMX world, Mirra, was has been credited with bringing the sport to the City of Greenville, which now is home to more than 20 pro BMXers. The city of Greenville Mayor Allen Thomas made this statement shortly after learning of Mirra’s death:
“We mourn the loss today of a great friend and wonderful human being who touched the lives of so many around the world with his gift. He called Greenville, North Carolina home and was as humble a guy talking with kids on a street corner about bikes as he was in his element on the world stage. A young life with so much to offer was taken too soon.”
Mirra is survived by his wife and two children. PopCultHQ wishes to express our most sincere condolences for the family. The following is his bio courtesy of davemirra.com:
“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.”
