Snowmobiler Dies From Injuries Sustained At The X Games

Caleb Moore died seven days after crashing his snowmobile while attempting a backflip.

1. Snowmobiler Caleb Moore, 25, died today from complications related to injuries sustained one week ago at the X Games in Aspen, where he crashed attempting a backflip.

Image by ESPN Images, Eric Lars Bakke / AP

2. Moore’s accident happened with just 20 seconds left in his freestyle run.

Video available at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=uCMiHILA6lo.

Moore suffered a concussion and was rushed to a local hospital, where it was discovered he was suffering from bleeding around his heart. He was then airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, 90 miles away, for emergency surgery. According to ABC News, the bleeding around his heart triggered a secondary brain condition.

A spokeswoman for the family announced today that Moore had succumbed to his injuries, but did not give any further details or address the specific cause of death.

Moore’s death is the first in the history of the Winter X Games. ESPN released the following statement regarding Moore’s death:

“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, 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.

As a result of this accident we will conduct a thorough review of this discipline and adopt any appropriate changes to future X Games.

For 18 years we have worked closely on safety issues with athletes, course designers and other experts. Still, when the world’s best compete at the highest level in any sport, risks remain. Caleb was a four-time X Games medalist attempting a move he has landed several times previously.”