Bike motocross (BMX) also known as bicyclingMotocross is an interesting off-road sport that is practiced primarily for recreational or competitive purposes. The major equipment for this sport is, of course, the BMX bike, notably made by Haro Bikes. When you talk about Haro Bikes, one BMX rider always stands out – Dave Mirra. In the 1990s he again made a success in the brand and, throughout his career, a Haro bicycle was present in all his achievements.
Who is Dave Mirra?
In the small village of Chittenango located inMadison County, New York, a baby boy was born on April 4, 1974 to Linda Mirra and Michael Mirra. His name was David Michael Mirra. 5-year-old Dave had to get his parents’ divorce approved, as his dad got custody of him and his only sibling, his brother, Tim. Fortunately, their mother lived nearby and they also spent quality time with her growing up.
The boys at the time were hanging out on bikes and Dave, Tim and his friends were by no means left behind. Soon cycling turned into BMX and the boys substituted anything they could grab for jumps. Dave got the nickname “Miracle Boy” when he started doing serious stunts that seemed to defy gravity in full view of his friends. At the age of 13, he knew it was more than just a hobby for him.
Coincidentally, he went for a show hosted by General Bikes in Syracuse was spotted by a man while unnecessarily doing the supposedly tough “double decade”. The man helped Dave land his first contract, he was only 13 at the time. Shortly after, he landed a better offer from Haro, but it didn’t last long due to financial difficulties in the industry.
At the age of 14, Dave Mirra ventured down the ramp, met older bikers Mark Eaton and Kevin Jones, and got an invitation to join the Plywood Hoods. It was part of their instructional video, Dorkin’ in York 2. Dave finally turned pro at 17 with many sponsors and of course media reports. At 18, he was the biker behind Mat Hoffman’s first loss in three years in a halfpipe race.
The young rider was definitely on to a win but that was cut short by an accident that nearly cost him his life in December 1993. It took him almost a year to recover and bounce back. Dave had to move in with Tim in Greenville, whose college apartment was right across from a BMX park. That same year, Haro got 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 success for him.
Dave Mirra made a record of winning 8 consecutive X games from 1997 to 2000. He would win 15 more in BMX and 1 in rallycross. He launched a line of bubble gum, cereal production and a PlayStation game called Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX. A sequel to the game was also made following the huge success of the first one. Dave also won the NORA Cup for 3 years (2001-2003) and won many other prestigious awards until 2011 including being recognized as a sports icon.
MirraCo, a bicycle manufacturer, and Mirra Images, a photo book biography are also some of his achievements. Dave Mirra retired from BMX in 2011. After that he became interested in other areas, such as rallycross, rallying and Ironman competitions. He became a skilled and known driver for the Subaru team.
Who is the woman?
Dave married his longtime daughter, LaurenBlackwell in 2006 in a ceremony in Napa, California. Lauren is a registered yoga teacher. She started her practice in 2015 – Inspired Yoga with Lauren Mirra. She is a devout Christian who wants to use her practice to strengthen people’s relationship with Christ.
Lauren Blackwell has supported her husband all through his active BMX days from the time of their reunion. The couple welcomed their first daughter, Madison, in September 2006 and their second (and last), Mackenzie, in 2007. They are also known to be co-founders of the #beadadnotafad movement. Dave actively participated in his children’s lives and exposed them on his social media accounts until his death in 2016.
How did he die?
Dave Mirra would have committed suicide, he died of a gunshot wound. His body was found in his Ford in an area where he was believed to be visiting friends. The man died at the age of 41. When he passed away, he was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease.
The BMX rider left the sports world, his friends and his family in mourning. He had also suffered numerous concussions during his career.
In 2017, Haro Bikes paid homage to the bike and donated a large portion of the sales to his family. His family and friends also opened davemirra.com to preserve his legacy.