Dave Mirra

David Michael "Dave" Mirra (April 4, 1974 – February 4, 2016) was an American BMX athlete, Subaru Rally Team USA driver and business owner. Mirra held the record for most X Games medals until being passed by Bob Burnquist in 2013, and has medaled in every X Games from when they started in 1995 up to 2009. He was known primarily as a vert ramp and park rider. He has ridden and has been sponsored by Haro Bikes since the mid '90s before starting his own bike company. Mirra was a member of the team which won the 2014 Race Across America Four-Person Male (Under 50) category.

Early life

Mirra was born on April 4, 1974 in Chittenango, New York. He graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona).

In the 1990s, Mirra's brother, Tim, moved to Greenville, North Carolina, to attend East Carolina University. Dave moved to Greenville soon after. Fellow professional BMX rider Ryan Nyquist moved in with Tim. Mirra and Nyquist became quick friends and would build and ride ramps together. Greenville is now home to over twenty professional BMX riders. This gave Greenville the nickname "Protown" in the BMX community.

Career

Mirra turned professional in 1992. He won a medal at the X Games in every year from 1995 through 2009, with the exception of 2006. He won 24 medals at the X Games, including 14 gold medals, which stood as a record until 2013. In 2005, Mirra won the Best Male Action Sports Athlete ESPY Award. By 2014, Mirra shifted his attention to Ironman competitions and triathlons.

Mass media

Mirra's success brought him to numerous outlets besides riding his bike, such as hosting two seasons of MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge. He is featured in the Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX video game series and more recently appeared in the 2009 video game Colin McRae: Dirt 2. He has published a photo-biography titled "Mirra Images", has appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman and the Today Show, was Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher for IRS fraud, and was once one of People Magazine's "50 Hottest Bachelors". He was also featured in Rolling Stone magazine. Mirra also rode a $7,500 gold plated bike in the 2005 X Games, crashed hard on vert and was unable to finish but, after a visit to good friend Dan Bradbury, came back the next day to claim yet another gold medal on street.

Sponsorship

Mirra's first major sponsor in the BMX world was GT Bicycles. Hitting a slump, and reluctant to sign, Mirra's hero Dennis McCoy finally convinced GT to pay him a fair amount for sponsorship. GT wanted Mirra to move to California and tour the country doing stunt shows at bike shops to promote their bikes like the rest of their riders but, since Mirra felt at home on the East Coast, his relationship with GT eventually faded. He has been sponsored by Haro bicycles for a number of years. In 2007 he started his own company called MirraCo. Mirra has his own series of video games.

Aside from bike sponsors, Mirra had various secondary sponsors throughout the years. His sponsors before his death were: Recaro, MirraCo, Monster Energy, Puma, Maxxis Tires, Nike, Bell Helmets, Snafu, and Subaru.

Personal life and death

Mirra and his wife, Lauren, had two daughters.

On February 4, 2016, Mirra died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in Greenville, North Carolina. Authorities responded to a reported suicide and discovered his body in a truck. He had reportedly been visiting friends in the area. Allen Thomas, the mayor of Greenville, called Mirra "a great friend and wonderful human being". Mirra was 41 years old.