A professional motocross rider from Kelowna got back on his bike to showcase his adapted dirt bike on America's Got Talent. Bruce Cook was paralyzed from the mid-section down in a dirt bike accident, but he adapted his motorcycle so he could land a backflip without using his legs.
Image Credit: YOUTUBE
March 08, 2022 - 6:00 PM
A professional motocross rider from Kelowna got back on his bike to showcase his adapted dirt bike on America's Got Talent.
Bruce Cook was paralyzed from the mid-section down in a dirt bike accident, but he adapted his motorcycle so he could land a backflip without using his legs.
Appearing on America's Got Talent: Extreme in a bid for a $500,000 prize, the former Nitro Circus rider landed the flip in competition while strapped to the seat. It was his first performance since his crash in 2014.
READ MORE: These historic badass women helped shape their Kamloops, Okanagan communities
"Just because you have a disability doesn't mean you have to be on the sidelines, and you can be centre stage," Cook said on the show.
The episode aired Monday, March 3, and the acts are judged by Simon Cowell, WWE star Nikki Bella and former Nitro Circus athlete Travis Pastrana.
During the episode, Cook recounts the accident in 2014 where he lost the use of his legs attempting a double front flip on a dirt bike.
"In a split second everything changed," he said. "Instantly I knew I had broken my back."
READ MORE: Man involved in Kelowna car-jacking charged with attempted murder
Despite the injury, he continues to pursue adrenaline-packed sports, which he decided to do as soon as he began to recover.
"After a few years of rehab, I finally feel ready," he said. "It can sound cliché, but I hope it can motivate somebody to go for it."
Vying for the $500,000 prize, which he said can help pay for expensive medical equipment, judges voted to move him to the next round.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2022