Stephen Murray (BMX rider)

Stephen Murray (born 9 January 1980) is an English former BMX Dirt rider.

Stephen Murray

Personal information
Full name	Stephen Murray
Nationality	British
Born	(1980-01-09) 9 January 1980 (age 45) Newcastle, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	208 lb (94 kg)
Spouse	Melissa Murray
Children	2 sons
Website	www.stysrg.com/stephen.html
Sport
Sport	BMX Dirt
Disability	Paralysis
Medal record Representing  United Kingdom Summer X Games 2001 Philadelphia BMX Dirt Gravity Games 2001 Providence BMX Dirt 2002 Cleveland BMX Dirt 2004 Cleveland BMX Dirt
Updated on 14 December 2016

Biography

On Friday 22 June 2007, at the AST Dew Tour BMX Dirt Finals in Baltimore, Murray took a catastrophic fall attempting a double backflip on the final jump in the dirt section. He suffered career-ending injuries to his spinal cord and vertebrae, and became paralyzed below the shoulders. Reports have shown that he can shrug his shoulders, move his toes, his index fingers, and his thumbs.^[1]

Murray was a seven-time expert British champion and six-time UK National champion before the age of 16. During his professional BMX career, he was known for his double back flips (the first rider to land in competition), 360 back flips, and turndown back flips. He won the gold medal in BMX Dirt in the Summer 2001 X Games and won gold medals in BMX Dirt at the Gravity Games in back-to-back years (2001 and 2002). He was nominated for ESPN 'BMX rider of the year'.

Since the accident, Murray worked closely with the doctor who treated Christopher Reeve after the actor's accident left him quadriplegic. He now has limited movement in his toes and is also gaining more movements in his hands. He hopes to move to a hand-operated wheelchair in the future.

He is no longer married, but has full custody of his two sons. He resides in Evesham, England.

Murray appeared on the True Geordie Podcast to talk openly about his experience, and the journey of his life. His motivations and dealing with the crash were explored as well.

In 2017, he published a book about his life: Staying Strong: An Immensely Human Story (with John F. McDonald, Lee Martin).^[2]

ESPN

• BMX Rider of the Year

BMX Championships

• Seven-time expert British champion
• Six-time UK National champion^{[3][better source needed]}

X Games competition history

GOLD (1) SILVER (0) BRONZE (0)

YEAR	X GAMES	EVENTS	RANK	MEDAL
2001	Summer X Games VII	BMX Dirt	1st
2002	Summer X Games VIII	BMX Dirt	11th
2003	Summer X Games IX	BMX Dirt	4th
2004	Summer X Games X	BMX Dirt	10th