Jeremy Lusk dies

[xx CURVE xx]

R.I.P. brother.

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Jeremy Lusk

The world of FMX lost a true hero last night

February 10, 2009, 10:17 AM

By: Vince Castellanos

Freestyle motocross star Jeremy Lusk died early in the morning EST on Tuesday, Feb. 10 from head injuries he suffered at an event in Costa Rica on Saturday, Feb. 7. Lusk sustained the injuries when he under-rotated a Hart Attack backflip and slammed head-first to the dirt. Like the fighter he was, Jeremy — nicknamed Pitbull for his tenacious attitude and great strength — survived an initial surgery late in the evening on Saturday that was designed to stem brain swelling, even though his odds of living through the surgery were very long. But his condition — touch and go from the moment he went down — worsened late in the day on Monday.

Chris Tedesco
Some may remember that he crashed in almost identical fashion in the Freestyle semifinals at X Games '07: He under-rotated a Hart Attack backflip but somehow walked away from that scary slam. In March '08, while preparing for April's Moto X World Championships, Lusk said that he didn't throw the Hart Attack backflip for months after his X Games crash. "I was a little scared of it," he stated.

Lusk enjoyed an incredibly successful 2008 season. He earned Freestyle gold at X Games '08 and added Best Trick silver when he landed the first double grab Hart Attack backflip; it was the first time he had even attempted the trick to dirt. He also scored a bronze helmet in Freestyle at the Moto X World Championships, won both Freestyle and Best Trick at September '08's X Games Mexico and finished third overall in Freestyle on the '08 Dew Tour.

The San Diego native was 24 and married to Lauren, his high-school sweetheart.

The following was posted at http://prayforjeremylusk.blogspot.com/, which had been tracking Lusk's condition:

It is with great sadness that we report Jeremy Lusk succumbed to his injures tonight at 11:03pm PST. He was surrounded by his loving Mother and father, Chuck & Gina Lusk, his wonderful wife Lauren, his mother and father in law Lyne & Larry along with his closest Mulisha friends Brian Deegan, Ryan Hagy, Cameron Steele & Erik Apple. He is now with our Heavenly Father and is at peace. We know he is performing sick tricks for all those in Heaven to crowds greater than we have ever seen. We will miss you Pitbull!

Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

We will provide further updates on arrangements when we get them.