Nicholas “Nicky” Patrick Hayden, the American professional motorcycle racer who won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006, has passed away. His fiancée Jackie, mother Rose, and brother Tommy were at his side.
Known to his fans as “The Kentucky Kid” and a legend, the former MotoGP champion died 5 days after he was hit by a car while training on his bicycle along Adriatic Coast in eastern Italy.
The force of the impact shattered the car windscreen, and he had been in the intensive care unit of Cesena’s Maurizio Bufalini Hospital with severe brain damage since 17th May 2017. Days earlier, Nicky had competed for Red Bull Honda in the World Superbike Championship in Italy.
It was later revealed that Nicky had suffered “a serious polytrauma”, a medical term to describe the condition of a person who has multiple traumatic injuries.
Nicky’s Honda World Superbike team released a statement to announce the devastating news, saying, “It is with great sadness that Red Bull Honda … has to announce that Nicky Hayden has succumbed to injuries suffered during an incident while riding his bicycle last Wednesday.” Older brother Tommy, who was also a motorcycle racer, said that their family had many great and happy memories of Nicky. “We would like everyone to remember Nicky at his happiest – riding a motorcycle,” his brother said.
This is absolutely heartbreaking. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and loved ones.
Rest in peace, Nicky 🙁
Sources: BBC, ABC, WorldsSBK / Featured image: WorldsSBK.
