Atheltes getting injured during their routine sporting endeavors is not new news. Instead, it is almost expected as a hazard of the job. Every other week, we hear about a professional having a near-death experience.
Nevertheless, only a few of these sportsmen are courageous enough to make a comeback after such a devastating setback. Sports figures like Rocky Bleier, Sophia Flörsch, Paul George, and many more have shocked the world with their bold return to their respective game after horrible injuries.
Mike Aitken is also a well-deserved name on that list. The American BMX rider made a valiant comeback after suffering a severe blow to the head and continues to inspire many new generations of BMX riders.
Today, we will uncover Mike Aitken's biography and take a brief look at his journey to stardom.
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Mike Aitken's Early Life And Family
On 12th February 1983, BMX legend Mike was born in Salt City, Utah. His parents raised him alongside his brothers in the capital city.
The American athlete prefers to remain secretive about his family. As such, he has not revealed the names of his parents as well as his siblings.
Mike's BMX Obsession
Aitken has been riding bikes as early as he can remember. It might be hard to digest, but his father first taught him to ride a bicycle at just the tender age of 2.
Aitken's first-ever bike was a 16-inch Mongoose which was passed down to him by his brothers. Unfortunately, it didn't have training wheels, so his parents taught him without bike stabilizers.
Mike Aitken learned to ride as a toddler, and by 10, he had transferred his skills to BMX bikes. Photo Source: Mike's Instagram.
As he gradually honed his skills on the bike, Mike progressively moved forward to more sophisticated equipment. Thus, he had learned to ride BMX bikes by the age of 10.
Afterward, little Mike spent his spare time in the local skatepark, wowing the bystanders with his unique style and flair. He soon became somewhat of a local hero for his riding skills. Subsequently, he started riding his BMX competitively when he was just 14 years old.
Mike Aitken's Prosperous Career
The BMX rider began his career earlier than many other professionals. Even in his teenage years, he was well known in his neighborhood as the emerging star of the BMX community.
As time passed by, Mike refined his riding skills. But instead of learning new tricks that would appeal more to the audience, he focused on improving the old techniques and tricks. He would jump higher, hold the trick longer, and make it look more smooth and easy than anyone else on two wheels.
Rise To Prominence
By the age of 18, Mike had already developed his distinguished style of riding. Since then, he took professional riding more seriously and started competing with more passion.
Aitken has been competing in the X-Games since 2000. His best result was placing fifth in the Dirt discipline in 2003. In addition, his career highlights include finishing second at the 2003 Vans Triple Crown and third at the 2007 Dew Tour in his hometown of Salt Lake City.
A year later, he scored a victory in the 2008 Dew Tour. He has also participated in the X Games Dirt six times and was awarded the best dirt jumper in the world in 2009 at the NORA Cup.
Mike's Life-Threatening Injury
In October 2008, Mike was critically injured during one of his routine practices that left him in a coma for more than three weeks. He was riding with his friends in Pennsylvania when the accident happened.
Mike Aitken persisted in riding BMX even after a horrific injury that left him in a coma. Photo Source: Mike's Instagram.
After over-rotating a 360, Mike sustained a severe blow to the head, according to official reports. He was dashed to the Intensive Care Unit at St. Luke's hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Several CT scans showed fractures in Mike's orbital bone, cheek, both sides of his jaw, as well as throughout his sinus cavities. Yet, despite such a horrible crash, Mike recovered from the injury and made a swift return to the BMX scene.
Mike Aitken's Net Worth And Earnings
Over the years, professional BMX rider Mike has gathered a considerable fortune through tournament winnings and cash from lucrative brand deals. Although the athlete has not spoken about his wealth in public, it is hard not to get fascinated about his wealth considering his massive success.
Here, we will discuss Mike Aitken's net worth and discover his various sources of earnings.
Mike's Earnings As A BMX Rider
Aforementioned, Aitken started riding at a professional level from an early age. Consequently, his revenue primarily comprises of earnings as a professional biker.
According to Comparably, the standard annual salary of a BMX rider is around $64,000. Given Mike's dominance in the field, his payroll must be around the same range, if not more.
American BMX rider Mike Aitken has gathered enormous wealth from tournament winnings over the years. Photo Source: Mike's Instagram.
Mike has participated in numerous prestigious BMX events across the nation, triumphing in many of them. So, his fortune is likely inflated by all the cash he wins at these events.
Earnings Through Brand Endorsements And Product Sales
Aside from his professional career, Mike has also amassed enormous wealth from multiple brand deals. Due to his massive fame, brands like Fit Bike Co., 50/50 Skate & Bind, Rockstar Energy Drink, etc., have approached him. As a result, Aitken likely collects considerable funds from these brands every year.
Moreover, Mike has released his own series of apparel and after-market BMX spare parts. Some of the items listed on the online retail stores, along with their prices, are:
| Product | Price |
| 2021 series one (LG) Aitken | $479.95 |
| Aitken stem | $59.95 |
| Mike Aitken T-shirt | $20.98 |
Earning from the sales of merchandise and spare bike parts must have helped increase Mike Aitken's net worth.
Mike Aitken Is Married And A Father Of One
The Utah native BMX rider is shy and rarely talks about his intimate connections in front of the media. As such, not much is known about his love and romantic endeavors.
Most of Mike's past relationships and affairs are under the carpet now. Regardless, it has been confirmed that he has been married to Trista Aitken for more than a decade.
There are no known details on how the couple met or how their romance began. However, it is highly plausible that the pair were good friends before turning into a husband-and-wife duo.
Mike Is A Proud Father
BMX athlete Mike Aitken's wife, Trista, gave birth to their only son in May 2006. The wedded-pair couple named their firstborn Owen Aitken.
Over the years, Mike has continuously passed his riding skills to his son and even taught him how to ride BMX. A quick glimpse at Mike's Instagram handle, and we can easily paint his doting fatherhood side.
Over a decade ago, Mike Aitken married the love of his life, Trista Aitken and the two have a wonderful son. Photo Source: Mike's Instagram.
The BMX rider is not shy about sharing the image of his child. He posts pictures of his lovely son with short, sweet captions.
We wish Mike's family long-lasting prosperity and hope to get a deeper insight into his personal life.
Fun Facts And Trivia
- Mike is an avid Instagram user with over 45.3K followers
- He adores dogs and owns two named Truffle and Gust.
