Monday, October 1

Athletes Speak Out

EXPN.com

Editor's Note: After the terrible incident in America, we spoke to a few riders to see how they felt and how the situation has affected them. Below are some of their unedited, personal responses.

A day frozen in time.

Dave Mirra: "9-11-01 was definitely a dark day for all of us. Watching the news and seeing what was going on in NYC was devastating, and I was in true disbelief. It really was hard to comprehend that this was really happening to us, and it's hard to imagine that somebody could hate us this much. But the freedom we have in the best country in the world, The United States of America, will prevail. No one can take away what we all have worked for, our American rights for “success and happiness”… My heart goes out to every person who was involved or affected in any way in the Sept. 11th terrorist attack. Stay strong, Dave Mirra"

Ryan Nyquist: "On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, I woke up and started my day just like every other day. Except that that day was like no other day that I've ever lived in my lifetime. After watching the news for a couple hours and really letting it all sink in to the point where I couldn't take it any more, I turned the TV off and tried to continue my day. Only to find that doing that was a task of its own. Not only was I on a total downer the whole day, but when something that tragic happens, you really can't escape it. I went out to run some errands and grab a bite to eat. When I got back, I began to think about the contest that weekend (King of Dirt), I called Brian Gas (the organizer for the K.O.D. contests) to see if the contest was still going to happen. He told me that they had thought about cancelling the comp, but felt that the right thing to do was to continue on with as much normality in our lives as we could. He felt that if he postponed the contest that it would, on a small scale, be giving the terrorists exactly what they went out to achieve, to disrupt our daily routines, to cause panic and doubt in our minds, and to overall just mess things up. So they were going to go on with the show. He gave me some advice as to what he thought I should do, which was to get in a car right away and start driving out to California from Greenville, North Carolina.

After the tragedy, Ryan Nyquist donated his 1st contest win to Red Cross.

Having plenty of time to myself just to think, relax, and listen to music. And with all the things that had been going on in this world, it seemed like the perfect way to get away from it all. I thought a lot about that stuff. About the images that had been burnt into my memory banks. I thought about the people who were jumping out of those buildings and what a choice it was that they had to make. It's still too much for me to fathom. Having to literally make a descision on how you were going to die. Whether to be burnt to death by the fire in those buildings or be crushed by the impact after jumping out of some of the tallest buildings in the world. I thought about all the firemen that were killed trying to help those people. I thought about all the people that were on the planes that crashed.

It all made me sad, but it also helped me to cope with what had really gone on. I didn't lose anybody close in the attacks, but when so many lives are lost you can't help but mourn a little for the people that did lose loved ones. I thought about the families that received messages from their loved ones in the moments before their deaths and how they must have felt hearing that kind of terrible news. I don't think there's anything that can prepare you for something like that.

Over the whole weekend I had been watching TV to see what else had developed out of all the madness in New York. I saw all the volunteers that wanted to help, that were just standing by waiting for the chance to help in the cleaning up. All the donations of services as well as supplies and money that people and companies were giving. I was watching this the night before the contest and I felt like I should be there helping. So I decided that I wanted to donate my contest winnings to help in New York. Whether I won or lost, Whether it was $3000 or $3, I was going to give it all. And as it turned out I took first at the contest and won $3000. And what's even better is that The Red Cross was actually at the event taking donations. And all donations were being matched by a local bank. So my $3000 was now $6000. And that made me feel good, and I think that the important thing to look at is how the poeple of this country came together in such a terrible time."

Jason Ellis: "The whole thing was really upsetting and pissed me off, but watching the firemen give so much of themselves made me want to do the same. I donated my Guinness World Record award to be auctioned off, and I'm skating at a fundraiser to benefit disaster relief and the American Red Cross with some of the other guys. You've gotta help out in any way you can, even if you're Australian."

Rob Dyrdek: "Watching what happpened on Sept 11 was very shocking; it almost seemed unreal. For one day, it seemed like everybody was American. I'm in New York at this moment, and being here makes you feel the magnitude of the devastation. New York City is a city full of buildings, and to have the two largest buildings missing in the picture is very eerie, it's like Armageddon."

We will never forget.

Travis Parker: "It was a surprise at first and I feel sad for the people who had friends and families in the attack. After having time to think about the whole thing, listening to alot of NPR and going to chat rooms...It sucks. I'm saddened again by the quick fix, go America go, hunt 'em down and get 'em, football rally style patriotism you see. I really dislike that about our country and some of our leaders. On the other hand I'm happy that all people came together. I feel humbly patriotic. End Racism. End Terrorism. Peace and Awareness."