Danny Way

Danny mid-fall at X-Games 14 (espncdn.com)

The hero I chose is Danny Way. Danny is a professional skateboarder and has competed in all the X-Games. The event he participates in is Big-Air or the Megaramp. To participate on the 62 foot high and 293 foot long ramp you have to be very courageous. He has won many of the events and landed many tricks but he has also bailed a lot. He has broken his neck and had five knee surgeries and many more. After some of his biggest falls he has still managed to get up and walk off with no help. For example in X-Games 14 he fell and broke his foot on the third of five runs but got up without any help and completed the last two runs with a broken foot. In the end he placed second just barely behind Bob Burnquist.

This is Danny Way (Bing.com)

Danny is married to his wife Kari Way and has two children named Ryden and Tavin Way. He started skateboarding at age six and entered and won his first contest at age eleven. After he placed first in the contest he went on to get sponsored and now has team owner ship with Colin McKay of Plan B Skateboards. Later he invented the Megaramp and in 2004 turned it into an X-Games event. Now he is one of the greatest Big-Air skateboarders in the world. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Danny has won over 16 awards within 1986 and 2009. Some of the awards he has done are the land speed record on a skateboard, he was the first one to do a rocket air backflip, he is the only person to be named Skater of the Year by Thrasher twice, and holds the current Long Distance Jump recored with 79 feet. He has also won many X-Games Big Air contests.

Danny on a Mega Ramp (blog.ccs.com)

Danny has inspired me because of how willing he is to take things to a new level. He is always trying to do new things and has daily goals. Most of his goals put his life on the line and that is another reason why I think he is heroic. When he first built the Mega Ramp in his backyard he didn't know what was going to happen and had just eyed the angles for the landing and takeoff. The first time he tried it he spun and did a 900 (two and a half rotations) lost his board and landed on his stomach and slid down the ramp but he got up and did it again and eventualy was landing the majority of the time. Danny shows that when you practice at something you can get good at it. That inspires me to practice at everything I do and it should inspire others too.

Danny (bing.com)

I hope that I can end up like Danny and inspire others to practice at something they like to do. I will always try to be like him and and I will always face my fears. Even when I get hurt I will get back up and try it again. I think others should look up to Danny and try to be as succesful as he is.