“Looked Like a Bullet Went Through”: Skateboarding Legend Tony Hawk Once Revealed Horrifying Accident That Changed His Face

Tony Hawk is one of the flag bearers of Skateboarding. He played an instrumental role in putting the sport on the professional map, which was enjoyed locally back then. The legendary skateboarder, reached the zenith of the sport, by mastering his skills at the age of 14. He displayed exemplary skills as a teenager and went on to become the flag bearer of the sport.

Tony won multiple medals and titles as a skateboarder. Even to this day, people believe that he is still a teenager due to his skateboarder accent. The legendary skateboarder is famous for performing unfathomable stunts effortlessly. However, sometimes such deadly stunts came at a heavy cost to him.

Tony Hawk recalls a horrifying accident

Skateboarding as a sport is very entertaining, when we witness skateboarders perform incredible stunts during competitions. These stunts are give the sport a different thrill altogether. Tony Hawk performed multiple stunts throughout his illustrious skateboarding career. He was the first skateboarder to land a 900 trick after many failed attempts. The other side of such stunts is the fact that they can be very deadly, if executed wrongly.

Speaking to the men’s journal, Tony recalled a horrific accident due to which his teeth were knocked off, not once but thrice. “The first time was at Del Mar in the halfpipe. I stuck on a 50-50 and fell forward. I woke up later in the pro shop. Both teeth were broken off—all that was left were tiny nubs. It looked like a bullet went through the middle of my teeth. They put caps on them, and I broke two sets of those.”

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Tony revealed how a stunt went wrong and had extreme consequences. The horrifying accident changed the shape of his face. However, it did not stop the legendary skateboarder to stop trying such tricks.

Tony’s incredible career

Tony Hawk was born on May 12, 1968, in San Diego, California. Since his childhood, he was a very hyperactive kid. His parents wanted him to pursue an activity that would serve as an outlet for his extra energy. During middle school, his interest started inclining towards skateboarding. He set up a ramp and performed a skateboarding demonstration. Tony’s parents supported him in his skateboarding career as it helped him channel his extra energy towards something productive.

Tony mastered the skills required to become a skateboarder and became a professional at the age of 14. He won multiple contests and was the National Skateboard Association world champion, for 12 consecutive years. His unmatched dominance made him famous in a very short time. After becoming the first skateboarder to land the 900 tricks successfully, Tony called it the best day of his life. Such achievements separated him from his contemporaries. After the 2003 edition of the X Games, Tony retired from professional skateboarding. 

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Tony has been instrumental in his effort to promote skateboarding even after his retirement.