Freeride Athlete Takes a Bone-Cracking Crash Down Cliff in Wild Video

DJ Brandt is out of commission for the time being, and he's got some wild footage to show for it. The freeride athlete posted a clip to Instagram early Monday morning, showing him taking quite a tumble off the edge of a cliff, resulting in a fractured fibula.

“Had to pay my Freeride Tax, I’ll be back in a few weeks! Stoked this freak accident didn’t go worse Thanks Ethan Nell & Jasper Wesselman for helping me get outta there ” - DJ Brandt

Despite the hard fall, the athlete is seemingly in good spirits. He even lets out some short chuckles in one of the clips as he drives himself out of the session spot. Naturally, friends were quick to wish him a speedy recovery in the comments. "Take your vitamins and do your PT—we need this man back in the saddle," said fellow biker Christian Peper.

Colorado native DJ Brandt is well known and respected in the freeride scene, having made four appearances at the Red Bull Rampage and winning best style at Red Bull Proving Grounds in 2021 . Leading up to this accident, DJ had spent a lot of time in Utah, a freeride mecca, with a crew of athletes and filmers, but unfortunately, the dues were paid.

Slams like these are a part of the sport, and DJ's attitude is a shining example of how crucial it is to keep a positive mindset and acknowledge the risk we all take when getting on a bike.

As anyone who has had to go under the knife for a break knows, the introduction of hardware is a medical advancement that can really accelerate the recovery time for broken bones. Although his exact road to recovery remains to be seen, his new hardware should allow him to get back to activity as quickly as possible.

This is a huge bummer to see, and we all wish DJ a smooth recovery!