When a Daredevil Dies

R.I.P. Ryan Dunn (Actor/Stuntman from Jackass, etc) but honestly I'm not surprised you're dead.  I'm more surprised that A. You lived as long as you did and B. More of your cohorts didn't precede you to the grave.

Don't take me wrong.  I like risk takers.  They are a fun group.  I wish I had more guts to do some of the crap they do.  I'm just not surprised when they die.

I can't even mourn that much for their friends and families.  A Daredevil seldom dies a tragic death.  It would have to be something really ironic for it to be tragic - like slipping on a banana peel.   A drunken, speeding car crash is not ironic.  On a scale of tragic deaths I'd say a Daredevil's (non ironic) falls somewhere between that of a Volunteer Soldier's and a Mercenary's.

People had to have seen this coming - at least as a distinct possibility  They were delusional if they didn't.   When a loved one is living the lifestyle of an adrenaline junky you better treat every day like it's their last because there's a good chance their end will arrive before yours.  Sure it's a bummer when they go but it's not shocking or tragic. It's a probable outcome of their lifestyle.

In this case I didn't know much about the guy but there are similar tales to be told about Mountaineers, Extreme Skiers, Rock Climbers and Base Jumpers.   None of my friends who do these things are at the big 'E' extreme end of these sports but they've all told me stories of friends who've pushed too hard in and paid the price or were too damn crazy for their own good.

It's like when I watched The Deadliest Catch.  It's not surprising that the lifestyle killed someone before the ocean actually did.  

This is going to sound weird but I actually admire the guy more now. This Dunn guy lived an interesting life.  I'm sure he would like some more of it in retrospect but in the end we are all just the sum of our choices.

Weird post for me.  Not sure were it came from.

Update: In reflection I guess I usually espouse similar opinions even if they are not always so explicitly stated.  The lyrics to the Hendrix song If 6 was 9 come to mind.
...
Nobody know what I'm talking about
I've got my own life to live
I'm the one that's gonna have to die
When it's time for me to die
So let me live my life the way I want to.

Yeah . . .
Sing on brother,
Play on brother . . .

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