Tony Hawk may not be pulling off another crazy Ollie 540 anytime soon. The pro skateboarder is no stranger to injury, but a recent incident has him feeling retrospective ahead of the release of his upcoming documentary.
Tony Hawk, 53, recently shared his latest injury on Instagram. Take a peek at his message below (warning: it’s pretty brutal):
The legendary skateboarder has broken one of his femurs in a skating accident that reportedly occurred earlier this week. As one can see from the Insta x-rays, it was a complete break that unfortunately found Tony Hawk in the hospital. Based on the images, it appears that his operation included plenty of ‘hardware,’ with nails inserted to hold the bone together. The skating pro also included a clip of his crutch-assisted recovery regimen and a cheerier shot of him standing on his own with a facial expression that clearly says “here we go again.” Tony Hawk also expressed his willingness to recover, claiming that he’s ‘up for the challenge.’
It’s not the first time Tony Hawk has injured himself in the pursuit of the perfect ollie – he mentions that he broke his elbow twenty years prior and made a full recovery – but his age makes it a lot harder to recover. 53 is nowhere near ‘old,’ but it’s significantly more difficult to perform the complicated stunts required for professional skateboarding.
Tony Hawk mentioned the ‘strange irony’ of his injury occurring on the eve of the trailer release on HBO for his new documentary. Directed by Sam Jones, Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off tells the story of Tony Hawk’s career. According to the skateboarder, the film places a particular focus on the ramifications of competing professionally as one approaches middle age. Tony Hawk revealed that the movie revolves around his ‘philosophy’ of maintaining his love for skateboarding even as he ages. He’s attested that he won’t stop skating until he’s ‘physically unable,’ and, if this injury recovery is any indication, he doesn’t plan on hanging up his board for a long, long time.
In addition to new discussions with Tony Hawk himself, Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off will feature never-before-seen footage and interviews with celebrities and athletes like Lance Mountain, Mike McGill, Stacy Peralta, Sean Mortimer, and Duane Peters. Viewers can look forward to archival footage of past competitions and practice sessions alongside discussions of family life and interpersonal relationships.
Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off will premiere on HBO on April 5 at 9 pm EST. After its release, the documentary will also be available to watch with your HBO Max subscription. Until then, you can also take a peek at these upcoming TV releases to plan your 2022 viewing experience or check out these other great movies on HBO Max.