Doctors Say BMX Pioneer Dave Mirra Had CTE, the Notorious Trauma-Induced Brain Disease

Read: Meet the BMX Racer Raising Awareness About Concussions in Biking

According to ESPN, autopsy findings released on Tuesday show that pro BMX rider Dave Mirra was suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy—also known as CTE—before his death earlier last February.

This makes him the first action sports star positively diagnosed with the degenerative brain disorder more typically associated with NFL players and boxers.

Mirra, a BMX pioneer and video game franchise star, was found dead of an apparent suicide in his truck not far from his home in Greenville, North Carolina, where he had been living with his wife and their two daughters.

To read more about CTE's effects on BMX, read our report on the topic published last week, or check out the Knockout Project, a group spreading awareness of the effects of concussions on athletes.

Photo via Flickr user gsloan