Fansided

BMX legend Dave Mirra found dead at 41

By Josh Hill

CHICAGO - JUNE 27: Dave Mirra, of Greenville, North Carolina, performs on his way to 1st place during the BMX Park Final of the Nike 6.0 BMX Open on June 27, 2009 at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO - JUNE 27: Dave Mirra, of Greenville, North Carolina, performs on his way to 1st place during the BMX Park Final of the Nike 6.0 BMX Open on June 27, 2009 at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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BMX and X Games legend Dave Mirra was found dead at the age of 41 in North Carolina. 

Pioneering BMX legend Dave Mirra has died at the age of 41 from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

According to TMZ, Mirra was found dead in his truck on Thursday.

"Cops say the 41-year-old’s body was found in his truck in Greenville, North Carolina Thursday with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head."

Mirra was best known for at one time owning the record for winning the most X Games medals, and helped bring extreme sports like BMX into the mainstream. At a time when ESPN was trying to build up ESPN 2, Mirra was part of a generation of athletes who punished their bodies in the names of pulling off tricks and wowing crowds.

Along with Mat Hoffman and others, Mirra helped usher in the extreme sports era that still lives on today thanks to the X Games. He was also used to push Dave Mirra’s BMX, which was part of the extreme spots video game boom that spawned other games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX — both from the same company.

Mirra leaves behind a wife and two children.

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