Dave Mirra, a legend in the BMX world and a former reality series host, has been found dead of a suspected suicide.
He was 41 years old.
According to local police in Greenville, North Carolina, Mirra was found inside his truck with apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head.
The husband and father of two kids hosted two seasons of MTV’s Real World/Road Rules Challenge and once held the record for the most X Games medals.
Mirra had been in the area visiting friends.
Just a few hours before his body was found, a photo of Mirra and his wife together appeared on the athlete’s Instagram account, along with the caption, “My Rock! Thank god.”
Here it is:
Said Allen Thomas, the Mayor of Greenville, via statement to a local ABC affiliate:
“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.”
With police looking further into Mirra’s death, fellow BMX legend T.J. Lavin mourned his friend as follows:
“I just wish he would have called me. I would have jumped on a plane in a second. There’s always another way. If anyone needs help, just please get it. I feel sick about this.”
