Dave Mirra, the BMX legend who was found dead of an apparent suicide at age 41, might have suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy [CTE] .
At least, that appeared to be the suggestion of Allen Thomas, the mayor of Greenville, North Carolina, where Mirra resided and was found dead.
“This is a young man, I’ll call him a young man, in his early 40s, that had a pretty rugged sports career, and he took a lot of injuries in his career,” Thomas said. “And you have to give pause to think and wonder just as we hear about brain trauma in football and other sports and activities, whether that played a factor.”
“I don’t know that that’s the case,” Allen allowed, but noted, “That’s something that I hope we’re able to solve that mystery.”
Mirra, who hosted MTV’s “The Challenge” reality show, was found dead in his truck of what police called an apparent suicide.
CTE has gained greater attention recently, due largely to heightened focus on the effect of concussions among NFL players.
In a statement released on Friday, Mirra’s family said, “Dave’s wife and family are shocked and saddened by the loss of such a remarkable person whom they loved so deeply. Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers and for respecting their privacy through this difficult time.”
Watch the press conference below.