RIP Danny 1 Year Today

1 year ago my little brother took his life.

I still don’t understand it and it’s the most bizarre thing to comprehend in my life and drives me insane when I get deep in my thinking about the scenario and seeing him in his coffin.

I wasn’t there to protect him as I have always done my best to do since we were kids and even as adults.

My mom told us when we were younger I’d be super protective over him when he was born and would hassle strangers when they’d say how cute Danny was to my mom.

The fact that I wasn’t there, can’t change what happened, and didn’t do my job as an older brother haunts me every day and is something I’ll never let go of fully.

The fact he’s not here but I am confuses me given my own health circumstances but I’d also why I don’t ever slow down with my goals to make an impact on this earth.

The only thing that brings me some sort of relief is that I bring his ashes with me everywhere I go around the world on my wrist and that I share what he means to me any chance I get.

I talk about Danny, and @davemirra, on stage as they’re the driving fuel to all I do in sharing my story and passions today.

I can’t go back and save them but I can share with all of YOU and hope you implement the tools I share and share with those you love or don’t even know.

Josh P. 💚🧠✌️

Happy Birthday, Danny.

Happy Birthday, Danny. I miss you so much!

Danny would have been 27 today and it’s insane to think that he’s no longer here in the physical form with us.

This is the last/recent footage I have with my younger brother before he passed almost a year ago.

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Happy Birthday, Danny. I miss you so much! Danny would have been 27 today and it’s insane to think that he’s no longer here in the physical form with us. This is the last/recent footage I have with my younger brother before he passed almost a year ago. He came out to see me ride one day the other summer and I was vlogging the session so he hopped in and filmed some stuff for me. I’m beyond grateful I started vlogging that summer and had this footage to go back and reflect on. I love you, Danny! All of what I do is in love and appreciation for you and to contribute to the world on our behalf. Josh P. 💚🧠✌️ . .‬ . #brainhealth ‪#FueledByKetones #JustPruvit #PruvitEveryday #Pruvit‬ #gratitudeisabundance #perspective #ketotransformation #SpeakYourTruth #manifestation

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He came out to see me ride one day the other summer and I was vlogging the session so he hopped in and filmed some stuff for me.

I’m beyond grateful I started vlogging that summer and had this footage to go back and reflect on.

I love you, Danny! All of what I do is in love and appreciation for you and to contribute to the world on our behalf.

Josh P. 💚🧠✌️

Persistence is How I Made It Here

Persistence to land a trick has taught me many invaluable lessons in life.

To accept this kind of pain just to land a trick on your bike changes you mentally and subconsciously in such profound ways.

I wasn’t aware of it in the beginning but in my last few years competing and progressing, I started to become conscious to what was going on.

Now I harness it all for my purpose to serve and support those around me and willing to hear what I have to say.

Josh P. 💚🧠✌️

Helmets Don’t Matter

We’ve always been told that wearing a helmet is important for our brains.

After @davemirra being diagnosed with CTE, I’ve become even more obsessed with 🧠 health and sharing with the BMX community and all of you.

Although I’m an advocate for helmets 100%, they don’t do much in terms of concussions and preventing CTE. They do protect the skull from fractures, tho, which is amazing!

🤓But, when we talk about the brain in regards to concussions, we have to understand the brains development, how the brain actually sits in the skull, and how a concussion occurs.

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🤦🏼‍♂️Helmets Don’t Matter🙈 . We’ve always been told that wearing a helmet is important for our brains. After @davemirra being diagnosed with CTE, I’ve become even more obsessed with 🧠 health and sharing with the BMX community and all of you. Although I’m an advocate for helmets 100%, they don’t do much in terms of concussions and preventing CTE. They do protect the skull from fractures, tho, which is amazing! . 🤓But, when we talk about the brain in regards to concussions, we have to understand the brains development, how the brain actually sits in the skull, and how a concussion occurs. I’ve seen many of my friends out cold while wearing a helmet. . 🧠@scottycranmer was wearing a helmet when his life altering TBI occurred. . 🧠I’ve seen @vincebyron out cold several times with a full face helmet on, the last gnarly one resulted in blood seeping out of his nose and ears. . 🧠 @davemirra crushed his face through his full face helmet one year at a contest. . 🧠I myself have had a few concussions where I had a seizure and my heart stopped, all while wearing a helmet. . 🙏🏼 That said, this isn’t a post advocating for not wearing a helmet. Very much the opposite and helmets serve an amazing tool for protecting our skull and mitigating issues if a head injury were to occur. . 🙏🏼 This post is to understand the implications of hitting our heads. It takes time or it can be immediately. . 🙌🏼 Part 2 from my trip to @doc_amen with @ryanplowery to get SPECT scans of our brains comes out Friday at 330pm EST! Dr. Ali will be explaining this topic much more along with our scan results with exogenous @justpruvit ketones and without, what the scans mean, why we are the way we are, and how we can change our brains with and without exogenous ketones. . 🤔Comment any questions or concerns and I’ll do a LIVE to answer those questions.🤗 . Josh P. 💚🧠✌️ . ‪#BeTheChange‬ ‪#BeTheChange🌎‬ ‪.‬ ‪#ProtectThisBrain‬ ‪.‬ ‪#braintumor #ketoathlete #lowcarbdiet #ketofam #brainhealth #bmx #ketogenicdiet #purposedriven #ketolife‬ #brainhealthmatters

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I’ve seen many of my friends out cold while wearing a helmet.

🧠@scottycranmer was wearing a helmet when his life altering TBI occurred.

🧠I’ve seen @vincebyron out cold several times with a full face helmet on, the last gnarly one resulted in blood seeping out of his nose and ears.

🧠 @davemirra crushed his face through his full face helmet one year at a contest.

🧠I myself have had a few concussions where I had a seizure and my heart stopped, all while wearing a helmet.

🙏🏼 That said, this isn’t a post advocating for not wearing a helmet. Very much the opposite and helmets serve an amazing tool for protecting our skull and mitigating issues if a head injury were to occur.

🙏🏼 This post is to understand the implications of hitting our heads. It takes time or it can be immediately.

🙌🏼 Part 2 from my trip to @doc_amen with @ryanplowery to get SPECT scans of our brains comes out Friday at 330pm EST!

Dr. Ali will be explaining this topic much more along with our scan results with exogenous @justpruvit ketones and without, what the scans mean, why we are the way we are, and how we can change our brains with and without exogenous ketones.

🤔Comment any questions or concerns and I’ll do a LIVE to answer those questions.🤗

Josh P. 💚🧠✌️

Slap Of Reality

Today wasn’t easy. Not gonna lie.

My mom & I drove to the police station that held my younger brother, Danny, belongings for nearly 10 months after he took his life a week after turning 26 last June.

Upon opening the container of his personal belongings, I was greeted with his phone covered in his own blood.

Although I thought I was prepared for this moment, I wasn’t. It was another slap in the face of reality that my little brother is no longer here with my mom & I. What’s worse, I can’t do anything about it. Of all the years growing up protecting my best friend, I wasn’t able to this time.

I have a ton of thoughts of regret for being so hard on him over the years as others just enabled him & allowed him to play small in life. I battle against those thoughts with my belief that I was doing what I felt was right in challenging him to live up to his potential from a place of sincere love.

I often get asked “how are you always so positive”?

I’m not. But, I also know that the mind is like any muscle in the body & daily practice, exercise, & recovery are required to ensure we have a chance at becoming what we desire.

I’m human & experience all the ups & downs that we all face but my perspective to be alive and have a chance at changing my tomorrow & sharing it with all of you is what keeps me moving forward.

The people I choose to surround myself with plays a huge role in giving me the courage to be vulnerable, not give up or feel sorry for myself, & allow me to be who I set out to become.

These people in the photos have become brothers from other mothers to me & I’m incredibly grateful for all of them & Jackie

Danny & I both cherished our friends equally as much as we cherish each other. We don’t believe family is solely blood related.

I want you to share your love for those you care about & know your life is what you choose to make it.

Inside & out.

Always strive for happiness but don’t ever think you have to be happy every day or that your broken.

Josh P. 💚🧠✌️

2 Years Ago – Dave Mirra

There are no words for the impact Dave Mirra had on my life, on and off my bike. It’s still so surreal that today is 2 years since Dave left us in this physical life.

The top left photo shows my back tattoo from Brian Lee to hold Dave with me for the rest of my life and have a daily reminder of the life I live and why that is possible. The middle photo is from when I was 12 and first met Dave on the Dave Mirra Super Tour. Bottom left was the second to last day I saw Dave after a lunch with him and Scott Wirch in Greenville, NC. Bottom right is some of the last comments Dave shared with me on here in regards to some posts about his Animal House. Top right is just the way I want to remember Dave- a boss handling business. 😎 💪🏽

To read more of my thoughts on Dave’s passing and impact on my life, check my blog from 2 years ago.

-Josh P.

RIP, Dave Mirra

Exactly one year ago I got the chance to say I love you and express my gratitude for this man. Little did I know it would be the last time I’d have the chance to do so and am grateful for this moment as well as the gut feeling of asking Dave Mirra to lunch that day.

It was a random urge to pick up the phone and ask Dave to catch up and have some lunch, and  I’m glad it happened. I’m not full of words today to express my feelings for this photo. All I have to share today is how honored I am to have had the chance to make a dream of mine come true, and then some.

I got to not only compete with Dave but got to train with him on a daily basis, hang out with Dave outside of riding, get to meet him family, and get to call my idol/hero/mentor my friend. What an honor to do so. I’m left with nothing but love and gratitude for Dave, the path he paved for me in my career and life with #bmx, and all he taught me.

Thanks, Dave and I love you, man! 

-Josh P.

Authenticity

Authenticity 

au·then·tic: of undisputed origin; genuine.

Along with my journey in life, guys like Dave Mirra and Mike Laird have gone above and beyond to take me under their wing and teach me about BMX and life in general. The most important thing one can do is be authentic. Stand out and be true to yourself, on and off the bike. Anyone that knows me knows that I’m 100% authentic, genuine, and transparent. I don’t have anything to hide and I have embraced who I am and what I have to offer the world. 

This tattoo is a tribute to just that in the form of a story. A story that starts with where I come from, meeting my hero that sparked the drive and passion for the life I live now, and all that I’ve overcome along the way. The path to success isn’t as easy as most think. It involves lots of failures, heartaches, pain, sacrifices, and drive to succeed. 

Dave showed me what the inner strength to overcome anything life throws at me looks like and I’m forever grateful. Our mindsets our reality and is what allows us to push through when we want to give up. I’ve been in so many situations where I was broken, mentally and physically, and wanted to give up. A part of me wouldn’t let me and that part is in all of us if we want to believe in it. 

I have faith in everyone to succeed if they truly want to and my life is just an example of what’s possible. 💚✌️ 

📸 by: @bcookmedia

-Josh P.

RIP, Pete O’Connell

There are no words for this situation in life and the only thing that keeps me sane is the fact that it’s a part of our human experience on this planet. A shitty part of our human experience.

I had been in touch with Pete O’Connell recently about how well he had been doing for himself and the changes he had adopted into his life. I was so proud of him for his efforts and his success.

We had caught up even sooner than that time to discuss Dave Mirra’s passing and how unbelievable that was to us. We grew up as teenagers together with a mutual love for BMX riding and, Dave Mirra. It hurt us both.

I had just recently just learned about, now, Pete’s passing, and I am at a loss for words. I just hope Pete is at peace now, surrounded by love and light.

RIP, buddy! I love you.

I Love You, Dave

Saying goodbye to anyone is never a happy moment in time. The sad truth of the matter is, that’s life. We can’t have “good” without “bad”. It’s just so real when it happens to a loved one in our lives and it hurts. 

Dave was more than a BMX legend to me. He impacted the lives of millions, including myself, to a degree I don’t think anyone would understand if they had never met Dave. He was inspiring, to say the least. On a daily basis, he pushed life to grow and progress. You could never not go big enough with life. That is where I started to catch on to what life meant to me.

Dave’s words before going into a life or death brain surgery, in 2010, taught me giving up was not an option. It’s how I have lived my life for years now and will continue to do so in his honor. It’s the base behind my tattoo “Fear is just a thought, thoughts can be changed”. When Dave told me I could something, on or off my bike, it empowered me to a level I thought anything was possible without fear.

Dave is my hero, as he is to many others. He was an incredible dad to his two daughters. He was an incredible friend who’d do what he could to help others. Dave had a huge heart and passion for his life and all that it contained.

Dave is the reason I took a second look at my life and thought “how could I be healthier and perform better on my bike”. He is the catalyst for my passion towards something other than my bike, which is a much larger scale than my bike, but towards my own health and happiness. It’s what has also given me courage through brain surgery and led me to protect my brain and the risks of improper lifestyle choices that can harm our brains.

Hitting your head has consequences and the reality of that is that it’s hard to accept. I’ve become very passionate about my brain and it’s thanks to guys like Dave and his influence in my life, in which I can’t explain, that have led me to seek out how to progress that aspect of my life and its importance. I’m forever thankful for that, Dave. 💚

I’ll always remember Dave as the hard working, passionate, most driven person I’ve ever met and my biggest role model. I’ll always remember the morning sessions in Greenville and my learning tricks or be trying ridiculous gaps because Dave said I could do it, or pushed me to do it because he had faith in me

It wasn’t until recently that I learned how much love and respect Dave had for me.  I asked Dave to lunch to talk about my goals for Bmx and my dreams that scared me. Dave was behind me 100% and told me I got it. That was all I needed to hear to learn once again we can do whatever it is we want in our lives. 

I can’t even put into words the amount of respect I have for that man. It’s a dream come true and an honor to call him my friend after working so hard to just meet him on my bike one day. When I can ride, I’m riding in Dave’s honor. I am going to go even bigger on and off my bike. 

I love you, Dave! Ride In Peace