‘The Challenge: Inferno II’ Host Dave Mirra Died in 2016

Two seasons of the popular MTV reality show The Challenge dropped on Netflix on December 15, introducing a new wave of viewers to the drama-filled competition show. The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Inferno II and The Duel, seasons 10 and 13 respectively, were both released on the platform.

More recent fans of the show will recognize TJ Lavin, the longtime host of the show since the 11th season, on The Duel, but some may be less familiar with the host of Inferno II, Dave Mirra. Mirra, like Lavin, was a BMX rider and extreme sports athlete, and he hosted two seasons of The Challenge — Inferno and Inferno II.

Tragically, on February 4, 2016, Mirra died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at the age of 41. After his death, Mirra was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the first action sports star to receive that diagnosis, ESPN reported. At the time of his death, Mirra was married to Lauren and they had two daughters together.

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Mirra Received Numerous Injuries to the Head During His Life & Career & His Wife Has Spoken About the CTE Diagnosis

On February 4, 2016, Mirra died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was later diagnosed with CTE, the neurological brain disease associated with repeated concussions seen in hockey and football players. At the age of 19, Mirra fractured his skull when he was hit by a car, received numerous concussions in BMX and also took up boxing after his 2011 retirement from BMX, ESPN reported.

In 2006, Mirra fell 16 feet from a ramp at the Los Angeles X Games and landed on his head, hitting so hard that his liver was lacerated, Rolling Stone reported. He also fell 14 feet at a Dew Tour event in Chicago and briefly lost consciousness but still competed in the finals despite saying he “felt out of it,” the outlet reported.

His wife Lauren Mirra told ESPN that in the last couple of months before his death, Mirra’s behavior had started to change: “The last couple months before he died were really intense, and then, of course, the last couple weeks were hard. We didn’t know what we were dealing with.” In terms of symptoms, she said, “Fatigue, definitely, both physically and emotionally. And forgetfulness, moodiness. He would repeat conversations and topics to the point where it was obvious to the person he was talking to but not to him. He would dwell on a subject and not want to move on from it.”

Mirra’s friend, fellow Challenge host and BMX rider TJ Lavin has posted about his death through the years, writing on his birthday this year, “Happy Birthday Miracle Man” along with the caption “BMX FAMILY… we miss you brother.” On the anniversary of Mirra’s death on February 4, 2020, Lavin posted a photo of Mirra and wrote, “We all love you…”

Mirra Was a BMX Pioneer & Decorated X Games Athlete Who Was Posthumously Inducted Into the BMX Hall of Fame

According to his website, Mirra was an upstate New York native who joined the professional world of BMX in 1992 when he was just 18 years old.

Mirra was known as Miracle Boy or Miracle Man and until 2013 he held the record for the most medals at the X Games, with medals at every X Games from its inception in 1995 to 2009, according to USA BMX. Mirra won a total of 24 X Games medals and tied Tony Hawk for being the fastest to reach 14 medals.

After his death, USA BMX announced that Mirra would be inducted to the BMX Hall of Fame on June 11, 2016, for freestyle, writing:

In February of this year, the sport of BMX lost a true legend. It is safe to say that no BMXer has ever reached the recognition, fame and notoriety that Dave Mirra has. … Mirra truly became a household name — and put our great sport in a limelight never before achieved. Although his is a life that was ended way too short, there is no doubt that Dave’s accomplishments and contributions to BMX, and his legacy, will live on.

According to his Hall of Fame induction bio, Mirra moved to Greenville, North Carolina, and the city soon became known as “Pro Town” thanks to the riding compound he built that attracted top athletes from all over.

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