X Games First Death: Caleb Moore Accident Sparks Safety Investigations
Fans will remember Caleb Moore as the daredevil freestyle snowmobiler who did back flips with his machine on a regular basis, making the Winter X Games something to look forward to each year.
However, his death marked the first in the X Games ever since it opened in 1997. Following this tragedy, the X Games is now in hot water for the safety of the games.
In a report in USA Today, ESPN has released a statement prompting a review for the safety guidelines in lieu of what happened.
"As a result of this accident, we will conduct a thorough review of this discipline and adopt any appropriate changes to future X Games," said ESPN.
The issue surrounding the dangers of some of these games have already been brought to light by many, but often ignored all in the pursuit of attaining something grand and exciting.
The Guardian reports that Moore's death occurred even when there had been reports targeting the dangers of the sport.
"As I watched these athletes fly over my head, it really hit home just how miraculous the zero-casualty rate was," said Brent Rose, regarding the many accidents and falls, albeit non-fatal before, that are a common sight in any of these games. "'Maybe it's safer than it looks,' I thought for a brief moment. And then they started dropping like planes over Midway."
Moore was involved in a crash with his snowmobile after a failed attempt at a back flip in the freestyle event in Aspen. His 450-pound snowmobile rolled over him after he landed face first on the snow, according to ESPN.
The result of the crash was a bleeding around his heart. Moore also experienced brain complications and a separated pelvis. He died a week later after the accident.
Friends and family look up to Moore as someone who has always held a passion for the sport enough to take risks and be ahead of the competition. "He lived his life to the fullest. He was an inspiration," said Chelsea Lawson, the family's spokeswoman, to ESPN.