MotoGP Legend Nicky Hayden Passed Away At Age 35

Nicholas “Nicky” Patrick Hayden (July 30, 1981 – May 22, 2017), nicknamed The Kentucky Kid, was an American professional motorcycle racer who won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006.

On May 17, 2017, Hayden was hit by a car while riding his bicycle near Rimini, Italy. The crash occurred at the intersection of Via Ca’ Raffaelli and Via Tavoleto in Misano Adriatico. Hayden was traveling west on Via Ca’ Raffaelli when he was struck by a car as he entered the street to cross Via Tavoleto. The driver of the car stated that he was on his way to work when Hayden passed through a Stop sign and suddenly appeared in front of him. He was unable to avoid a collision. The speed of the driver is not yet known but the impact of Hayden slamming into the windshield was strong enough to completely shatter it and dent down the roof of the car. Hayden’s bicycle was found in the nearby ditch with its frame snapped in half. According to Italian newspaper [[La Gazzetta dello Sport a security camera recorded the crash, displaying Hayden apparently not halting to a stop sign and possibly distracted by his iPod.

Hayden was taken to Rimini hospital with severe injuries. At 6:00 p.m., four hours after the accident, Rimini hospital staff announced that he had been moved to the major trauma unit at the Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena for possible surgery. It was widely reported by mainstream media that Hayden was put into a medically-induced coma for surgery, which is not the case according to Hayden’s father Earl. “Nicky was never placed into a coma nor has he received any surgery as his condition is too severe to operate.” Hayden sustained a traumatic brain injury as well as a broken femur, broken pelvis, and multiple fractured vertebrae. Five days after the accident, Hayden died in the hospital on 22 May 2017.