Mat Hoffman

Hoffman was injured so often that he got used to waking up from a bad stunt with no idea who he was. He would need someone there to remind him and fill him in on why he was hospitalized. But after surviving a frightening accident during big-ramp racing (where a motorcycle drags the bike full throttle to the top of the ramp and then releases it) his wife held their newborn baby up and played with her to remind him of what he'd miss if he kept going. He agreed to retire from the riskier stunts, but swears he'll keep going until he can't go any more. "When the day comes that I choose to not ride anymore it won't be because of injury," he wrote in his ESPN online journal. "It will be because the challenge of injury will have become more than what my will and determination can overcome." In the meantime, Hoffman continues to build his legacy by performing in select competitions and even appearing in movies. His most recent appearances include XXX and Jackass: The Movie; as well as an IMAX film called Ultimate X: The Movie.

Because of Hoffman's tireless dedication to his sport, BMX and many other "extreme sports" have become commercially viable and respected, especially among the world's young people. He lives in the same town he grew up in, Oklahoma City, with his wife, Jaci, and their daughter, Giavanna.