Tony Hawk Suffers Gruesome Injury in Skating Accident

Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk is no stranger to injuries in his lengthy career, but now he’s revealed that he recently suffered a broken leg so severe that getting back to 100 percent may be a huge challenge. On Tuesday, Hawk shared on Instagram that on Monday, he broke his leg. Specifically, Hawk broke his femur and even shared the x-ray photo, as well as video of himself in the hospital. In the caption, Hawk said that recovery from the injury will be harder than previous injuries due to not just its severity, but his age as well. You can check out the post below.

“Yesterday sucked. I broke my elbow 20 years ago and managed to make a full comeback; this recovery for a broken femur will be much harder because of its severity (and my age),” Hawk wrote. “But I’m up for the challenge. There is a strange irony that this happened on the eve of HBO releasing a trailer for “Until The Wheels Fall Off,” Sam Jones’ documentary about my life & career, which has a strong focus on the philosophy of how I/we do this at our age. The answer is complicated, but ultimately, it’s because I have found my sense of purpose and shaped my identity through skating, and it nourishes my mental health immensely. I’ve said many times that I won’t stop skating until I am physically unable. A broken leg – with plenty of hardware – will probably be the biggest test of that creed. I’ll be back… maybe not at full capacity but I resigned to that notion years ago as I approached “mid-life.” Thanks to my unyieldingly supportive, tolerant family – and all of you – for the love and support through the years; I wouldn’t be here without you. See you on the other side.”

As Hawk himself noted, the devastating injury came at an interesting time. On Tuesday, HBO released the trailer for Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off, a documentary film that explores the life, career, and ongoing legacy of the skating legend. The film will debut on HBO on Tuesday, April 5th and will feature length interviews with Hawk himself as well as important figures in life, including Stacy Peralta, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, Neil Blender, Andy MacDonald, Duane Peters, Sean Mortimer, Christian Hosoi, and others.

You can find the synopsis for Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off below.

“Centering around intimate new interviews with Tony Hawk himself, the film is an all-encompassing look at the skateboarder’s life, legendary career, and relationship with the sport with which he’s been synonymous for decades. Hawk, a pioneer of modern vertical skating who is still pushing his limits at the age of 53, remains one of the most influential skateboarders of all time.

“Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, the film chronicles Hawk’s meteoric rise from awkward teen outsider in the radical sport of the 1980s – where his father’s efforts to standardize and regulate the nascent competitions complicated his early success and relationships – to multiple X Games gold medalist, trick innovator, entrepreneur, and 12-time National Skateboard Association world champion. While the film celebrates Hawk’s single-minded pursuit of his passion, his relentless, and ultimately successful drive to master the elusive “900” and his refusal to bend to the reality of middle age, it also reveals the perils of fame and notoriety and the constant threat to his physical well-being.”