Four-time Winter-X-Games' medalist, Caleb Moore, died this morning, reportedly, due to suffering a brain complication after heart surgery.
The 25-year-old Moore was rushed to Grand Junction, Colorado, hospital after his failed snowmobile backflip.
The injury occurred on his third jump, as he successful flipped the snowmobile and himself, the front sleds dug into the landing ramp, causing him to lose control, flip over the front handlebars and land face-first into the snow, after which, the snowmobile fell on top of him, causing him to lose consciousness.
Once regaining consciousness, he felt this sudden pain in his chest and when his discomfort escalated, he was taken to the local hospital and diagnosed with a concussion. While under observation, doctors detected massive internal bleeding around Moore's heart and immediately airlifted him to Grand Junction hospital where it was determined that he suffered a heart contusion and remained in intensive care where the chances of rcover looked very bleak for all involved.
"It's almost certain he's not going to make it," said Moore's Grandfather, Charles Moore, to The Denver Post on Monday afternoon.
Moore's family issued this statement upon the disclosure of Moore's passing: "He will be truly missed and never forgotten. The family wishes to express their deep gratitude for all the prayers and support they have received from all the fans, friends and family around the world that Caleb has inspired," stated by gridtv.com.
ESPN, the network covering the event also released a statement,
"We are deeply saddened by Caleb Moore's passing and our thoughts and prayers go out to his parents, Wade and Michelle, his brother, Colten (fellow X Games participant who also crashed, sending him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a separated pelvis. By Saturday morning, he had been released) and the entire Moore family. He will be remembered for his natural passion for life and his deep love for his family and friends, and he will always be an inspiration to everyone he touched in the action sports community," according to ESPN.com.
Moore's death brings even more attention to the safety concerns about the sport.
Though this was the first incident at the Winter X Games resulting in a death, it isn't the first time an athlete has lost their life:
Just over one year removed is the passing of Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke at age 29. "Burke, a four-time Winter X Games champion, crashed during a training run in Park City, Utah, on Jan. 10, 2012. She passed away from her injuries nine days later, less than two weeks before the Winter X Games," according to grindtv.com.
Before Burke, there was Moto X rider Jeremy Lusk-"he won gold medals in best trick and freestyle motocross at X Games '08, died three days after suffering head injuries in a crash at a non-X Games event in Costa Rica on Feb.7, 2009," reported by grindtv.com
"It's definitely a scary thing for a sport like ours," said snowmobiler and X Games competitor Levi LaVallee on Tuesday. "The only thing we can do is we can look at that and learn from it and look at how we can try to prevent that. Other than that, you look at it, what happened to him, was an accident. He's done that trick multiple times. He's practiced. He's done everything he can to prevent that," reported by USA Today.
It is sad to say, but ironic in a way, Moore's statement of "You try not to get hurt, but in this sport it's kind of the price you pay for not having to work 9 to 5," ended up costing him his life.
The family has stated they are planning a "celebration of life" and not a funeral service in memory of Moore. An announcement of the time, place and date of the service will be made in the next coming days.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
