Jeremy Lusk passes away

[Paul Danik]

This is very sad.
Paul

Freestyle motocross racer Jeremy Lusk dies

By MARIANELA JIMENEZ, Associated Press Writer 37 minutes ago



SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP)—Jeremy Lusk, an American freestyle motocross racer, died of head injuries Tuesday after crashing while trying to land a backflip in competition. He was 24.

Jorge Ramirez, chief of the intensive care unit at Calderon Hospital where Lusk was taken, said the motocross racer suffered severe brain damage and a possible spinal cord injury.

Lusk won a gold medal at the 2008 X Games. He was injured Saturday night when he failed to complete a full rotation while attempting a Hart Attack backflip and slammed headfirst into the dirt. Lusk crashed in almost identical fashion in the freestyle semifinals at the 2007 X Games but was not hurt.

He had a successful 2008 season, winning Freestyle gold at the X Games and silver in Best Trick when he landed the first double-grab Hart Attack backflip. He won a bronze helmet in Freestyle at the Moto X World Championships in his hometown of San Diego.

Ramirez said Lusk died with his parents and his wife, Lauren, at his side.

"He was in a medicine-induced coma as a protective measure, and the medicine was being reduced to see how his organism responded," he said. "That didn't mean he was going to wake up. He was in shock and that got worse last night, until he stopped responding and entered into cardiac and respiratory failure."

Lusk lived in Temecula, Calif.
Updated

[Mick Milakovic]

Here's a hyperlink to a memorial for Jeremy:

http://www.grindtv.com/blog/1752/skull-candy-tribute-to-jeremy/

[Larry Perkins]

It is a wonder this is not a weekly happening as the envelope pushing in freestyle amazes me.  I often wonder if I was young again would I be so crazy?  

When I was growing up I would constantly hear from people, "You're crazy!"  I was known for one legged cross ups and a few no handers on certain jumps in the middle of a race.  I was defintely a show off.  Remmbering my antics I watch freestyle and think, "Those guys are crazy!"  I wonder if I got older or if I were 18 would I be an envelope pusher?  I will never know but like our motorcycle technology I continue to ask, "Where does it end?"  At some point surely the end of the envelope is reached.  

My ponderings for the day amongst this sad tragedy of an athlete dieing young.

Larry P

[rob w]

Any relation to Ezra ? Things have progressed to becoming so extreme....there's a line there somewhere....which easily makes it possible to not walk away from a mistake. It's a crazy life style to risk your life trying to become famous. Pastrana could set a world record for most concussions, and he's still performing. Radical or stupid ? - you make the call.

[Mark P]

I'm a new POG member and have come back back to off-road riding after a brief 30 year break(owned a 1973 Six-Day). The speed and jumps of many of todays riders amaze me the same way that freestyle skiing has changed over the same time. I remember when some of my friends started doing routine back flips at our local ski area in the mid 70s(until one guy broke his back and the area stopped allowing it)and we all thought a single flip on skis was incredible. Today, of course, that is pretty sedate and almost boring for the young guys. It's all about managing the risk and understanding the potential price. While I enjoy watching the extreme motorcycle stunts, the skiing, etc, it's completely unforgiving and the price of a fall is too high. I'm sorry for this young guy and his family.

[Mike Burgess]

quote:Originally posted by rob w

Any relation to Ezra ? Things have progressed to becoming so extreme....there's a line there somewhere....which easily makes it possible to not walk away from a mistake. It's a crazy life style to risk your life trying to become famous. Pastrana could set a world record for most concussions, and he's still performing. Radical or stupid ? - you make the call.

No relation to Ezra. having said that Ezra's lil brother Shane suffered a very serious spinal injury a few years back racing MX. Took him a couple years to get things taken care of and now he is in school to become a doctor and hasn't ridden a bike since his injury. I had the honor of meeting Jeremey last year at a event close to my home and i must say. He was a stand up dude and very good person to all he met. He died doing what he loved to do and as he was a reborn Christian he put his life in God's hands and knew the possibilitys of something like this happening and never had a moment of doubt to contimue doing what he so dealry loved. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Lauren and both his parents and his inlaws and the entire FMX family. Do i agree with what they do...No, But then again some of the Worlds best FMX riders think us Cross COuntry and MX guy's have lost it.

RIP GODSPEED Jeremy Lusk

[tomale]

I doubt that I can add to what has already been said, It saddens me to think a young man has died even if he was doing what he loved. And what of his family, how hard will it be knowing that your son died never got much of a chance to live. NO heritage to pass on. At least for him his line has ended.. and that is sadder yet...I have more to say on the subject but it goes beyond the scope of this site.

Thom Green,Still crazy after all these years!
76' 250 MC5 (orginal owner)74'
250 hare scrambler (project bike)
72'sixday (project bike)