JoshPerryBMX – Page 56 – Daily Brainstorms

Resist – Recover – Ride

Welcome back!

If you haven’t read my previous article, I recommend reading it so that way you’re not completely lost. It’s not needed, as this is a whole separate story on its own, but you may want to at least go back and read the first part after you’re finished with this one. You can also check out this video that sorta sums up my first article.

I left off talking about my surprisingly short recovery back to BMX, never giving up on your dreams, and always following your heart. I do believe we have the power within ourselves to overcome any obstacles in our lives. That being said, I also believe it’s absolutely crucial to have a support system.

I had an enormous amount of support from Charlotte, family, friends, the Athlete Recovery Fund, the BMX community, and so many random people that heard my story and wanted to wish me the best. My mom was nice enough to make some wristbands that say, “Go Big, Fly High Josh Perry”, which was something she has always told me throughout my life, that way people could show their support with proceeds going to ARF for all the good they do for action sports and for me and my family.

This kind of support went a long way for me. It’s what helped fuel my strength to get through the surgery and to make a full recovery. Not only did I want to see myself ride again, I wanted to give back to all those people who showed so much love and support by showing them that they can get past anything, too.

Besides Charlotte being there for me more than anyone, telling my mom she would take great care of me so she didn’t have to worry about me, there was one friend who has always been there for me. Even before the brain tumors. His name, Leigh Ramsdell. Leigh is not only a very close friend of mine and someone I look up to, but he was also my team manager for Eastern Bikes at the time. Leigh is one of the raddest dudes I know- definitely “good people!”

He printed out some stickers to hand out at the Jomo Pro contest (my first pro contest I won the previous year) to support me. They said, “Resist/Recover/Ride”. Leigh said they accidentally ended up coming out, “Resist/Recovery/Ride”, but it was still awesome!

I was stoked to receive photos from the contest of friends like Drew Bezanson and Brandon Dosch with stickers on their bikes and helmets. Nick even had my last name written in on the back of his shirt with a red sharpie for the contest.

This meant so much to me and cheered me right up about not being able to defend my title. To top it off, Micah Cranz was announcing the contest and he had everyone scream as loud as they could for me before the contest began.

This touched my heart on so many levels and it gave me goose bumps watching. It’s amazing how so many people can put out so much positive energy to someone they may or may not know. Shout out to Micah and all the riders at the contest for their support! I can’t begin to thank everyone enough for the love.

As I mentioned previously, the recovery was not long at all. When I first learned I would have to have surgery I imagined it taking a year for me to get back to my normal life. I even watched youtube videos of brain surgeries and that episode from the movie Saw 4 (I think thats the one) out of curiosity. I don’t know why but for some reason I figured it would a year recovery. I was amazed to learn that the human skull can fuse back together in just 4 weeks! I remember going for that 4 week follow-up so excited, nervous, and confident to ask “can I ride yet?” All I had to do at this point was wait for the swelling to go away, which would just be another week or two.

After making a full recovery I was very motivated, driven, and determined to be better than before! It took me a good bit to feel comfortable again

(something that mentally would go on for the following 2-3 years) but I didn’t let that stop me.

I owe a lot of my riding development, as a pro rider, to riding with guys like Mike Laird, James Foster, Brandon Christie, Kelly Bolton, Todd Meyn, Vince Byron, Drew Bezanson, Ryan Guettler, Daniel Dhers, Nick Digeroloma, and the man himself, Dave Mirra. Those are all guys I still look up to and they would push me on a regular basis to be the best I could be on and off my bike.

I worked my ass off at the gym, riding on the road bike trainer, and learning about nutrition for an athlete! I remember the first day back from a legit session coming home and feeling so light headed, weak, and nauseous from going too hard too soon. I was too excited and didn’t want to feel handicapped.

I would spend so many hours riding Mirra’s private training facility, “The Animal House”, on a daily basis. All that negative energy from the tumor was turned into fuel to not let my riding spoil.

In October of 2010, 6 months after my surgery, I made my first Dew-Tour final in Las Vegas! I remember the minute I found out how I amazing it felt. It was my first time to Vegas and I had Charlotte and Todd flying in that night. Once again I felt on top of the world.

I think I qualified 9th or 10th out of the 12 they took to the finals. I was so stoked on that because even though winning is great, its more satisfying to me to be able to accomplish something I set my mind to and in this case it was to make a final. That is why I love projects, on and off the bike, and filming BMX video parts (web or DVD). Video projects are always me setting goals (tricks, gaps, lines) to accomplish. Seeing the final result is always so rewarding to me.

One night while Todd was filming with Guettler to wrap up a video they had been working on, I jumped in while Todd was chilling after each clip. I originally was riding as support to Todd but then Ryan would ask if I had anything I wanted to film while the camera was out. Of course I said yes! It would turn into Todd and I going back to back filming clips while getting each other hyped up. It was my first video back from surgery (all filmed in that night session) and I was so stoked on it!

Fast forward a few years to July of 2011, at a Dew Tour contest in Ocean City, MD, and I would find myself once again scaring everyone. All I remember is following Vince around a curved wall ride out of a 10-foot quarter pipe that dropped off into a 6-foot landing of the step-down. I would come up short, flip over the bars, and hit my head so hard that I instantly got knocked out.

Char was right there in the stands and wasn’t allowed down to me. She was freaking out and didn’t know what to do and called Trish. Trish helped calm her down and got in contact with the medics at the event. The riders said you could hear me snoring. I was later told that my heart stopped beating for a good amount of time.

Char was the first person I saw after waking up from nearly dying once again. I woke up in the ambulance throwing up ( a common side-effect from that type of blow to the head) as I lay on the stretcher. I remember the ambulance ride being so bumpy and what felt like the longest trip ever. I also remember saying to Char, “Charlotte, I’m done riding. I cant handle this anymore.”

Well, we all know that didn’t last long. I was ordered to wait ten days until I could ride again. You better believe on that 10th day I was back on my bike. I went to the local park in Greenville, NC to ride with a good friend of mine and another rider I looked up to as a kid, Scott Wirch.

It was so difficult to handle seeing Charlotte that upset and worried on top of dealing with my head again. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like for her to see me laying there on the ground as my life literally stopped for some time. It’s pretty amazing what we humans will go through for the ones we love and the things we love to do.

Through all my life scaring moments, Char was always with me and supported my passion for BMX. I will always be grateful for her love, support, patience, and understanding of my long lasting desire to ride my BMX bike. I will always try my best to repay her, as well as pay it forward to the rest of the world for their kindness, love, and support.

The coolest thing about BMX, besides the actual riding and the people you meet, is the places you get to go. I touched upon Iraq and other countries of the Middle East in my first article. I never thought I would get the chance to ride my bike in India, or any foreign country for the matter, and get paid to do so. I plan on writing articles in the future about my Middle East adventures. For this articles sake, I will only mention India. With good reason, too.

India was not only a wild trip because of the fact I was in India, but it would be where I would yet again find out some devastating news. It was September 2012 when I got back to my hotel room from a demo where I found a message in my e-mail from my mother. She said there was something she needed to talk to me about. Mom told me about the recent MRI scan I had back in May that showed 2 tumors growing back. They were said to be the size of blueberries and located in a very dangerous spot- close by to the main artery. They were no immediate concern but would have to be dealt with at some point soon.

I was completely devastated by the news and I was starting to go crazy thinking of what to do, why this was happening again, and how could I stop them from growing. That same feeling of fearing for my life came back. This time because I thought for a minute it was cancerous and it would never stop.

I was on a train ride back to the airport, alone, and I remember being so scared and tears running down my face. I couldn’t handle the news or the fact that I was alone on a train in India of all places. I don’t know many people that have been put in this type of situation but it’s an unfathomable feeling to explain.

Even though this situation was not as severe as the initial brain tumor, those same feelings rushed back. After feeling sorry for myself and asking, “why me”, I refused to let the tumors control my happiness. I decided to put my headphones on and envision myself riding. I turned that fear, confusion, and devastation into fuel to get past this challenge and not let the tumors beat me down.

Transcend

[tran·scend]

verb

to rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed.
be or go beyond the range of limits of

The meaning of this word holds a lot of value to me. So much, that I named my signature frame from a previous bike sponsor the.

I remember asking Charlotte why this was happening to me. She told me, “God gives his strongest warriors his toughest battles.” I remember still being confused as to why this was happening again, though, and what I was meant to do with these experiences.

I have later come to realize that I’m an example of what we can do when we put our minds to something. We can all overcome adversity, not matter how difficult or scary the obstacle may be. I look back and I am grateful for the brain tumor happening. It has completely shifted my perspective on life, nutrition, and health. I’m grateful to have overcome it and to now have the ability to share my story with others.

I hope my story inspires you to not only live your life to the fullest but, also to no take anything for granted. As you read the following articles to finish up my story, I hope it changes your awareness of the relationship you have with the food you consume. Also, the quality of that food and how it correlates with your health on so many levels.

Dr. Allan Friedman (my surgeon) recommended looking into radiation as it was in a location too risky for surgery. Because of its location, Dr. Friedman said it was not a guarantee that he would be able to get it all out without harming the artery, which had a whole host of side-effects of its own. Charlotte, once again, was so great and helpful in how to approach this. We came across Elekta’s Gamma Knife Radiation. It was said to be cutting edge technology in radiation/tumor treatments with the highest rates of success and nearly non-invasive.

Before embarking on this wild journey for Gamma Knife radiation, Charlotte and I were getting ready for a cruise to the Bahamas that we had booked for her birthday from the year prior. It was my first cruise and I was so excited. Besides a little motion sickness here and there, we both had a great time. It was definitely a good way to calm me down a bit. I still had my moments of the inability to just sit and relax (anyone who knows me personally understands this). I feel that will never change until I am old and have begun to slow down.

Once we got back from the trip it would be about 2 months until my scheduled treatment. As it got closer to that time, I posted a photo from my “notes” section of my iPhone to Instagram with my upcoming schedule for the month of November.

That month couldn’t have gone better. I won the Trans Jam Contest in Greenville, the best trick for the street discipline and the overall year-end title, it was my birthday on the 20th, and Char and I would have Thanksgiving with my dad’s side of the family on Cape Cod before treatment.

I will end this article with something I believe is crucial for our lives- a positive mindset.

The way you think, the way you act and talk, and the way you view outcomes can have a dramatic effect on how well you overcome a situation when you approach it with a positive attitude.

It’s hard to believe in positivity energy when you’re going through hard times, I know this all too well. But, with a support system of some sorts and doing your best to think in a positive manner, you can get past anything that comes your way.

I hope you are inspired to be strong and positive. I also hope you feel the courage to follow your dreams, no matter what they are. Please, feel free to comment or reach out to my social networks to share your stories and to ask any questions!

Keep an eye out for my next article about my experience with Gamma Knife radiation and the events leading up to it…

-Josh P.

My Life Almost Ended 7 Years ago

Hello, everyone! My name is Josh Perry and I’m a professional BMX athlete, a multiple brain tumor survivor who lives with 4 brain tumors, and a Certified Holistic Health Coach. I love what I do. I love to learn about food and its role in our health and quality of life. I also love helping to inspire others to take control of their diet and lifestyle choices to lead a healthy and happy life.

I originally wrote a version of this while on a C-130 in Iraq in March of 2011. I envisioned this being an article for Ride BMX magazine but it never made it that way. While flying with a crew of riders and skaters to Baghdad, for our next performance for the troops, reality kicked in and I was inspired to at least write what came to mind and how I felt. I have severely altered this post over the last few years but it still holds truth to the initial spark of inspiration.

So, here it goes….

Ever since I first saw x games on television, all I wanted to do was ride BMX bikes. All throughout childhood I was always asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. My answer was always a professional BMX bike rider. I had been on a bike ever since I can remember. My mom says I was about 3 or 4. She tells stories of me coming down the driveway hill on a plastic tricycle and jumping off last minute into the grass yelling, “BAIL!!!”.

I had always found ways to jump things with my old bike that was not intended for tricks. A sheet of plywood on a cinder block, some dirt on a log I managed to dig up, or other obstacles I could find around the neighborhood. I slowly ventured to the skateparks with my bike and discovered reliable obstacles (ramps) to ride on. This was a game changer.

For Christmas one year, my dad bought me my first BMX bike. It was a Haro “Backtrail” which was a Ryan Nyquist (the rider I saw on TV that inspired me to ride) pro model bike. From then on I was hooked.

Once I got into high school I stopped playing school sports and pursued BMX to the fullest. I was always missing school for contests in other states or on road trips with my older friends. I even worked out a deal with my gym teacher, which happened to be my last class of the day, to skip his class to leave school early and go ride. He gave me an A as long as I provided him with a riding video to show I was really being active and following my dream.

Growing up in middle school and high school I did pretty well with my grades. But, teachers put me down for my immense interest in BMX. I was always told, “you’re never going to succeed at bike riding and need to study and get a real job”. In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have had my book lined with BMX magazines or, had been drawing ramp set-ups in my notebooks instead of taking notes. Funny thing is, I did succeed and I have seen more of the world than most of them can say they have. I don’t mean this to sound cocky or disrespectful but if it weren’t for that bike of mine, I wouldn’t have been to countries like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, India, Spain, France, etc. I not only got to walk on the land of countries we learned about in school, I got paid to ride my bike in those countries and had experiences that can’t be taught.

I got to see the places we all learn about in school and actually got to touch the ground of those places. I got to experience the culture and learn way more than being in a classroom looking at it in a book or, listening to a teacher describe a place they may or may not have been to. I have seriously had my view on life, and what we take for granted on a daily basis (like clean running water), turned around 180 degrees. Being able to spend time in these other countries, and observe how they eat and live, is truly amazing.

Today marks 5 years that I had to have my skull cut open to remove a benign, meningioma brain tumor that took up the left side of my brain. It was growing into my brain from a layer of my skull called the meninges and it was pushing down on my optic nerve. This was giving me the craziest headaches and making me go blind. I remember the headaches being so bad and feeling so nauseous from the pain, that I had to have my friend Johnny Deadwyler drive me to the Urgent Care because I couldn’t drive.

It wasn’t until I hit my head while riding one day,

and had to get an MRI, that I would learn I had a tumor growing in my skull. I remember that feeling of being told, “there is something in your brain that doesn’t belong there. It’s a brain tumor. We don’t know if it’s cancerous or benign, but we do know your life depends on its removal.” I don’t know if anyone can relate to being told something as catastrophic as this and the feeling that comes along with it, but it is something I don’t wish on anyone. I instantly felt my world turn upside down. I couldn’t speak and the more the Urgent Care doctor spoke, the more everything went silent and tunnel vision set in. I couldn’t sit there and had to move. I got up and just walked out. I think I remember people yelling my name to stop but I didn’t care. At that moment in time, I believed my life was over and I had to get out of that room.

I went into my truck and just sat there in shock. Reality finally set in and tears just rolled down my face. I was just sitting there, alone, thinking this is it and I am about to die. I finally reached my goal as a professional BMX athlete. I won my first pro contest (and best trick to win a Harley) a year prior, rode in X-games for the first time, was approaching my 3rd or 4th year on the Dew Tour, and I felt I was on top of the world. I remember thinking, “Well, shit. Who do I tell? Do I tell anyone? What do I do with my things and money? Do any of these things even matter? Am I going to be alive long enough to do anything else? Will I ever get to ride my bike again?”

The first thing that came to mind was that I had to call and tell my mom. I called and she answered but I just sat there. I opened my mouth and tried to speak but nothing came out. I tried a few times and still nothing. She said my name and kept saying, “what’s wrong, Josh.” It’s a mother’s internal instinct to know something is wrong without words being spoken. She knew something was wrong. I then just started to ball my eyes out and finally said, “Mom, I just had an MRI and I have a brain tumor. I don’t know what to do.” Silence followed this statement as we both had no clue of what to say. I followed our phone call up with a text to my girlfriend at the time, Charlotte Boxley, and best friend, Brandon Christie. Brandon was right around the corner. He came and drove around with me to keep me company. We basically just drove around listening to music, both balling our eyes out and expressing how much we meant to one another.

This was also a crazy time for Charlotte and I because we were not officially “together” yet. We had been hanging out and doing our thing for about 3 months at this point. Charlotte is an amazing human being and was there for me every step of the way. From that day on, she never left my side and I am so thankful for her and me to have had our lives come together.

I remember being prescribed pain meds after one appointment. I don’t do well with those at all but I was in so much pain that I took them on our drive home. I think it was about 15 seconds until I felt a nauseous feeling approaching and asked Charlotte to pull over. As she pulled over I projectile vomited all on the floor mat and basically fell out in my efforts to keep it out of the truck. I was vomiting so much, and harshly, that blood started to show. This scared the shit out of me. Turned out it was just a burst blood vessel and very common. I remember feeling so bad and saying, “I am so sorry, I promise I will clean it up.” I was full of so many emotions and not sure why embarrassment was one of them. Charlotte was of course so chill about it, that really helped me in this time. I felt so vulnerable and weak but she always made me feel better.

The first doctor told me I wouldn’t be able to ride ever again. He followed that up with explaining that I wouldn’t have long to live if it wasn’t immediately removed. Later on, after seeing Doctor Allan H.Friedman of Duke University, the best neurosurgeon in the world, he was confident in that he could remove the tumor. He had my surgery date scheduled immediately and the hospital actually had to reschedule other patients with not as severe tumors as mine to get me in ASAP. Dr. Friedman informed me of the risks of such a surgery and they were no joke. He said I could not wake up, may have to have shunts put in, or I could wake up paralyzed, blind, deaf, and or have a stroke.

On April 16th of 2010, after a 6-hour surgery, Dr. Friedman successfully removed the tumor and it was said to be a benign (non-cancerous) tumor. This was great news and thankfully I woke up pain-free with a smile on my face. Not because of all the intense drugs I was hooked up to but because I was able to see, hear, smell, talk, and move. I saw my parents first, followed by Charlotte and my brother Danny.

I was amazed to have no pain, be alive and able to hear, see, and move my body. I recovered extremely well and was let go 2 days after surgery. They said this was very uncommon and I owe every bit of my strength to BMX, Charlotte, my parents, the rest of my family, friends, the BMX community, and all the great people out there that expressed their love and support to me whether or not they knew me.

5 weeks later I was back on my bike. It started off slowly and frustration began to kick in. Not only because how “off” I was feeling, with coordination and balance, but because my friend and physical trainer Trish Bare Grounds was not allowing me to get too ahead of myself. At this point, it was still very fresh and I was ordered to not let my tires leave the ground. That changed after some arguing that I was fine and convincing to allow me to do a barspin onto the deck of the ramp followed by a tailwhip. This went on for a few hours and I finally settled for what I already had done.

I think it was about 10 weeks later I was back on a plane to Europe to compete in a contest that I had qualified for the finals. Sine then, I have continued to film videos, ride contests, perform for BMX demos and shows, and have found a new passion for nutrition and holistic healthcare. I love sharing my story with others in hopes of inspiring them to live life to the fullest.

Point to my story is I that I had a dream that consumed my life. Even though I was always told by others that I wouldn’t succeed, and I was faced with life or death obstacles, my friends and family stuck by me and I made my dream come true! When the day comes that I can’t ride as much anymore, and decide to move onto something else, I won’t be bummed because of all that I have done and experienced in my lifetime. I’ve accomplished my one and only goal as a child of becoming a pro BMX athlete and in doing so; I have gained other passions and goals to work towards achieving.

So I want anyone reading this to never doubt yourself. Take any opportunities that arise and stick to what you want in life, no matter who tells you that you can’t do it! It’s a miracle we are living human beings and so many people take that for granted. They end up limiting themselves to what others think they should do, rather than pursue what makes them happy and fuels their soul. You never know who or what may come into your life for following your heart. It’s inevitable that you’re going to make mistakes along the way. You and others may get hurt, but what’s important is that you learn from these mistakes and continue to grow into the person you want to be.

I’m grateful to be here today, still riding my bike and sharing my passion for BMX and nutrition with others. I can’t thank all of you enough for the get well wishes, support, and love over the last few years! Don’t let any challenges in life bring you down or stop you from pursuing your dreams. Don’t give up and don’t be scared. Live your life!

So now go ride your bike, or do whatever it is that makes you happy, and just enjoy life without fear! Take care and don’t stop dreaming!

-Josh P.

(Written: April 16th, 2015)

(Updated: June 7th, 2017)