split-second fashion, the perfect landing. One mistake and it’s time for a thrashing. Danny Way has paid the price of invincibility with broken bones and multiple contusions, yet he keeps pushing the envelope until it catches fire. A true skater to the core, Danny Way grew up with a “deck on wheels” at his side. Being raised in Southern California during the water crisis of the mid-to-late 1970’s, Way got some early exposure to empty swimming pools, a skater’s paradise. He quickly latched on to the lifestyle and started competing at an early age, turned pro in 1989, and never looked in the rearview. Bigger and better events teetered on the horizon. In 1991 he earned the title, “Skater of the Year,” from Thrasher Skateboard Magazine. He also started his own business, Plan B Skateboards. He went on to become an integral part of The X Games as well. In 1995 he won a gold medal for “high air’ in the very first X Games competition.
Danny Way's Career highlights
During that same year he broke his neck, but not while skateboarding. He was surfing in Hawaii when the mishap occurred, which put him out of commission for a year. He returned only to win the Pro Vert Competition in Tampa, Florida. In 1997 he became the first skater in history to be dropped onto a vertical ramp by helicopter. In 2005 he became the first person to jump the Great Wall of China on a skateboard. Currently, Danny and his company are celebrating the 20 year anniversary of his pro skating career; however, it hasn’t been an easy ride. His injuries have been numerous: a broken neck, back, and ankle, not to mention seven knee surgeries. For some, this may seem like too much to bear; the legendary Danny Way, on the other hand, sees it from a different angle. For him, the pain is worth the price of propelling the sport of skateboarding to new heights.
