The PWC Race Show Mourns the Loss of Jeremy Lusk

The PWC Race Show is saddened to report the loss of Jeremy Lusk,  American freestyle motocross rider. Jeremy died of head injuries Tuesday after crashing while trying to land a backflip in competition. He was 24.

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

“Jeremy motivated me to be a better person, he was my best friend,” said Brian Deegan, the founder of Lusk’s riding group Metal Mulisha. “One day, we will all be reunited and will ride together again.”

Chris Stiepock, the vice president and general manager of the X Games franchise, said Lusk “had emerged as one of the world’s best freestyle moto riders.”

“He was a tremendous athlete and competitor and represented the sport of freestyle motocross very well,” Stiepock said.

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 body 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.

A trust has been set up in his memory, and donations can be made through the Athlete Recovery Fund, www.athleterecoveryfund.com.