Bicycle motocross (BMX), also known as motorcycle motocross, is an interesting off-road sport that is mostly done either for recreational or competitive purposes. The most important piece of equipment for this sport is of course the BMX bike, which is mainly produced by Haro Bikes. When talking about Haro Bikes, one BMX rider always stands out – Dave Mirra. He basically made the brand a hit again in the 1990s and throughout his career, a Haro bike was present in all his performances.
Who Is Dave Mirra?
In the small village of Chittenango in Madison County, New York, a small boy was born on April 4, 1974, the son of Linda Mirra and Michael Mirra. He was named David Michael Mirra. Five-year-old Dave had to go through his parents’ divorce, with his father getting custody of him and his only sibling, a brother named Tim. Fortunately, their mother lived nearby and they also had a great time with her as they grew up.
The boys were hung up on the bicycle at that time and Dave, Tim, and friends were never left out. Soon, cycling turned into BMX and the boys replaced anything they could get their hands on as jumps. Dave earned himself the nickname “Boy Wonder” when he started doing some serious stunts that seemed to defy gravity, much to the awe of his buddies. When he was 13 years old, he knew that this was going to be more than just recreation for him.
By chance, he went to a show organized by General Bikes in Syracuse and was discovered by a man while he was idly completing the supposedly difficult “double decade”. The man helped Dave to his first assignment, he was only 13 years old at the time. Not long after that, he received a better offer from Haro, but due to financial setbacks in the industry, this offer did not last.
At the age of 14, Dave Mirra ventured into ramp riding, met up with older bikers, Mark Eaton and Kevin Jones, and got an invitation to join the Plywood Hoods in time. He was part of their educational video “Dorkin’ in York 2”. Eventually, at the age of 17, Dave became a professional, with many sponsors and of course with media coverage. At 18, he was the biker behind Mat Hoffman’s first defeat in a halfpipe race in three years.
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The young rider was definitely on a winning streak, but that was interrupted by an accident that almost cost him his life in December 1993. It took him almost a year to recover and get back on his feet. Dave had to move in with Tim in Greenville, whose college apartment was on the other side of a BMX park. That same year, Haro took him back and paid him $30,000 a year. He also participated in ESPN’s first X games and finished second. This was just the beginning of his success.
Dave Mirra set a record by winning 8 consecutive X games from 1997 to 2000. After that, he won 15 more games in BMX and 1 in Rallycross. He launched a chewing gum line as well as a cereal production and a PlayStation game called Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX video game. After the huge success of the first game, a sequel was made. Dave also won the NORA Cup for three years (2001 – 2003) and won so many other prestigious awards until 2011, including being recognized as a sports icon.
MirraCo, a bicycle company, and Mirra Images, a photo book biography, are also some of his achievements. Dave Mirra has retired from BMX in 2011. After that, he became interested in other things like rallycross, rallying, and Ironman competitions. He became a skilled and well-known rider of the Subaru team.
Who Is The Wife?
Dave married his long-time Bae, Lauren Blackwell, in a ceremony in Napa, California in 2006. Lauren is a registered yoga teacher and has her own practice – Inspired Yoga with Lauren Mirra – which she started in 2015. She is a devout Christian who wants to strengthen people’s relationships with Christ through her practice.
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Lauren Blackwell supported her husband throughout his active BMX days from the time of their meeting. The couple welcomed their first daughter Madison in September 2006 and their second (and last) daughter Mackenzie in 2007, and are also known as co-founders of the #beadadnotafad movement. Dave was actively involved in the lives of his children and featured them in his social media reports until his death in 2016.
How Did He Die?
Dave Mirra allegedly committed suicide, he died of a gunshot wound. His body was found in his Ford in an area where he was said to be visiting friends. The man died at the age of 41 and at his death was diagnosed with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a neurodegenerative disease.
The BMX rider left the sports world, his friends and family left him in mourning. He had also suffered a number of concussions during his career.
In 2017 Haro Bikes made a self-proclaimed bike in his honor and donated a large portion of the sales to his family. His family and friends also opened the website davemirra.com to preserve his legacy.
