"I'm Lucky to be Alive" - Discussing the Crash & Recovery | Austin Forkner on the SML Show 

I got electrocuted working on power lines. Almost died. Almost lost both hands, lost the left. It's hard to have an accident that you can't remember. You constantly go over it in your mind, and you're really hard on yourself. He's right, it never goes away. The only thing you can do is turn your brain off and put one foot in front of the other. Dude is a warrior for going through something like that without quitting. Everything he's gone through will make him mentally stronger than his competition. I bet he smokes everyone outdoors!

Wasn't a huge Forkner fan at first but man he has earned my respect over the years. Huge fan now.

I like when Austin talks about pain and how he would give any amount of money to not be in pain everyday.... It only gets worse with age! I was an athlete, played football through college and have had some pretty good injuries. I live with chronic pain everyday. I hope he can deal with the pain when he gets older! It sucks!

Austin is the toughest MFer in motocross. I have all the respect in the world for that kid.

We need a healthy Forkner on the gate. Id like to see his talents come to fruition

He was riding so good all day bummed for AF

I just wished he backed it down and took 2nd all these 250 guys are win or crash . Kitchen the only guy being consistent

He is the best guy at not making it through 3 rounds in Supercross

The Bell helmet saved Austin's life. Massive hit head first. Worst head impact I've ever seen from a dirtbike crash.

After watching that crash I’m just happy AF is here with us today. Come back stronger and better than before man. We all miss you.

Worst single bike crash in Supercross history, I thought we were witnessing his passing, Austin definitely has an Angel on his shoulder.

It's true Austin. I took inspiration from Roczen's big arm injury and got myself going and back into riding seeing his comeback from all that❤

Thanks for doing this interview my man! Everyone loves you and everyone was wanting an update, I'm sure!

Wishing you a speedy recovery Austin! Such a gnarly dude, and he never gives up. Hope we get to see him back soon

Hey this is for Austin if you need a break take one for a year let everything heal up and gain some more energy back. You’ve got this man your a beast.💪 you had a smile on your face every time you said dirt bike😎 you’re definitely a inspiration to me

Dude, the best guy on a 250 is one that learns how to win championships. You can’t even finish a season. Your fast as hell on a dirtbike, but you lose concentration…

MAD RESPECT FOR YOU AUSTIN FORKNER. THANK YOU FOR BEING SO HONEST AND OPEN WITH ALL OF US FANS. THIS WAS A FANTASTIC PODCAST. YOU ARE MOST DEFINITELY AN INSPIRATION TO ME AND I HAVE NOTHING BUT GOOD VIBES AFTER LISTENING TO ALL THE GOOD STUFF YOU SHARED MY BROTHA. HELL YA GOOD STUFF FOR SURE. ROOTING FOR YOU MR. FORKNER! FAN FOR LIFE DUDE!!!

Cool interview. Hope if Austin comes back he can stay healthy for the rest of his career. He has had more than his fair share of adversity. Wishing him all the best in whatever he chooses to do from here.

I remember watching the UFC fight between Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson, and Justin’s coach telling him “just take 10% off your punches.” Justin goes on to not only win the fight but absolutely rinses Tony. I’m a huge fan of Austin, want to see him do well. Perhaps taking 10% off “your swing” so to speak, gets the win. At minimum keeps you safe to enjoy the sport in addition to success.

I love the dude that takes the opportunity to talk s*** on somebody when they're down on Instagram. That's heart❤ and character right there.

Austin is one of the most naturally talented guys when it comes to riding a dirtbike. So fast and everyone knows he can win. So unfortunate he hasn't necessarily been able to accomplish is dreams of winning championships and by now be on a 450. I hope he recovers and can comeback ONCE AGAIN and complete a season injury free. He will have one of the greatest stories when it's all said and done. Definitely an inspiration and motivation to so many now after everything he has gone through

Forkner is one tough dude and super fast, don't rush your return, the sport isn't going anywhere. After listening to a travis Pastrana interview, comparing the crashes and surgeries you are doing just fine haha, he said he can barely bend his knees somedays and is still out doing backflips. You both have that same drive of doing what you love and not letting an injury stop you. Heal up and take a good mental break, go do some fishing or something easy to clear the mind.

Great interview. Forkner is a champ. Fast and tough. Keep it up Austin!

Go Austin! I am a huge fan. Never ever give up on your dream. Life is going to bless you. 🙏

One of the toughest dudes mentally and physically on the bike. Keep grinding AF

Damn man…..every time I hear Austin speak, he just solidifies why he’s my favorite racer. Him and AC are such amazing people and oddly, the injuries are what shaped who they are. That’s why they’re so relatable because as us weekend racers know, we all go thru injuries too

Stoked to see Austin is still here to tell the tale. I truly believe it was his championship to lose this year. Looking forward to his return 👍🏼

As a Missouri native, I've watched him race for a long time, and want nothing but the best for him. This kid is as tough as they come, and is an inspiration even for an old guy like me. With his drive, this kid can do anything he puts his mind to. No matter what he does in the future, I wish him the best and I know he will achieve nothing but the best.

"I was like the most consistent guy"... Goes out in the 2nd race of the season

I just watched you last video a few weeks ago of your crash and you talking about how you felt and it’s sort of crazy because I felt sumthing like a gut feeling after watching I still went out I had the same crash and broke my back so I feel like watching ur last video n I even commented on it Telling you to just stay strong and felt like it was a sign for me looking back but ever thing happens for a reason man I’m just glad god gave me a second chance 🙏😊

Been waiting for this interview!! He also hasn't posted since the crash on his All Fun blog.

Good humble guy. Glad he came out of that crazy crash..

Man would I love to see him realize his potential and be able to stay healthy. Dude is an amazing talent. Love his commentary on the bike's improvements also. It clearly is much better as almost every rider on PC is getting better starts and results this year.

Austin is a true American baddass 🇺🇸

So good to hear he's healing up and may be racing again this year.

So glad you’re ok Austin it’s a blessing to have you here to ride another day ❤

I LIKE him but he needs a speech coach to stop the LIKES 😂,but like he just needs some luck especially working with Ryno!

Ken Roczen admitted he was afraid to go 110% after his crash. You have to be fearless, once that doubt sets in. Not good

So glad you're as healthy as you are. Heal up Austin! What ever you decide, it's been a real pleasure watching you race!

Like Austin talks about around the 4 minute mark, it's weird after a crash where you're out cold for a while, to reflect back and try to determine what you actually remember vs. what you think you remember

Austin, you are definitly an inspiration. As a 76 year old you give me a daily boost and I really appreciate your words and performance.

Hang in there Austin you were riding incredible, Worked hard to come back.... And it showed. Were rootin for ya.

new drinking game... every time he says "Like" take a drink!

Like like like like

Dudes fast asf but needs to look at why he keeps having season ending crashes, it cant just be bad luck

I never liked Folkner , but man , this dude is a tough son of a gun . I love the under dog , he wasn't even talked about , it was all about Deegan. Dude was putting it down . For sure my favorite 250 rider , only God knows what you can handle , speaks volumes of what you got inside man. Chin up , keep digging man . Much respect 🙏 👏

Are we forgetting when Macadoo rode a Endo into the face of a jump got body slammed into the ground….then lined up on the restart

Austin, you should post a pic of your Bell helmet. Good press for Bell. That helmet definitely did its job!

I have an auto immune disease, that's caused me to go blind, I got my sight back. I deal with really bad fatigue, I am also epileptic because of it. Can't ride a dirt bike anymore, let alone drive a car. Keep your head up forkner. What a story it would be if you came back to outdoors and just did decent!!

Seems like there might be a pattern with riders who train under Robbie and end up injured a lot.

Austin retire it’s time. You made a good living let your lady work and do her thing now. And start the next chapter in your life.

Very glad to see Austin Forkner is doing well! Lets Goooooooooo!!!!

He has a beautiful wife has made a lot of money and a very bad black cloud that follows him. His luck could run out and the end result be something terrible to live with. He’s a young man and that would be the smart thing to do. Winning is not everything his health and family is. I love and have followed Austin but with his history I would lean on the side of caution.

You were killin it that race. Hope you make it back soon. 💪

Got love for ya AF. Get it brother!

Great interview Donn. AUSTIN,take care and good luck.

Im a st8 Deegan fan but forkner is scary fast and good cant wait to see him back on the track

Warrior 🤘🤘

I think the Bell helmet cracking proved it did it’s job! Knowing how good that company is they probably figured out the exact force to crack it, possibly to absorb impact at a certain point. But I could be totally wrong

i was hoping someone was thinking the same thing as me. out of all these crashes he has had.....he hasnt really learned the key thing......his ego, he needs to back it down in some situations, he told us he was riding over his head to make a statement that day....pure ego decision. man, and you can hear it in his words, literally still hasnt learned his lesson. thats sad, hopefully this doesnt happen to him again, could be even worse that this, dont turn your brain off, its the best thing you have. get some good people on your side that can fill your head with positive information that you can use on and off the track when life shows up

Tough times don’t last.. tough people do .

The best part of this video is that badass Pro Circuit hat. Jusssss sayyyyin stay up kings!

thumbnail is no clickbait. He never specifically said “im the best guy on a 250” 🤦‍♂️

I use to be a Austin fan but for countless seasons he’s out injured ,, be it supercross and then miss outdoor or outdoor then miss supercross. My question is how the hell does he still have a ride at PC considering he hasn’t finished a full season in a very long time ?? Is Mitch his secret father ?

Austin if you get this message you should forget 250s move to 450s before it's to late.if you want to chase a championship so if you get on roll you're already in the 450s.

I like...liked this interview and like...admire Forkner and like...hope he like...comes back and like...beats Deegan like...straight up.

Forkner is a f'ing DAWG! I was def one of those who msged him. There is nobody who has gone through what he has year after year and still come out and whoop ass!

That was some really real stuff from Austin. It was crazy listening to him like try to put his thoughts into words, but I knew exactly what he was trying to say. I've become a big fan of him the last few years. The more you know about him and his life the harder it is to hate on him. I really hope he can get a title, it would be as bad as if AC never won that outdoors.

Sounds like excuses of being to comfortable, to relaxes then being pressured into a mistake

Never seen rider so talented yet so cursed with bad luck. I hope he's back to racing soon. Having him on the track make the racing more exciting.

Hang in there, stay with it!

And I'm like , like and then I like kinda like ,like did that like, and like IDK like

Good to see and hear him talk about it. Maybe some riders should start testing airbag vests?

I truly hope he moves to a farm back home and lives a happy life! There is a point when its not worth it! Be a inspirational speaker!

What a badass!! Love hit grit man. The attitude is perfect, he’s real and ready to work it seems!!

what a guy ah it,s great seeing austin looking so healthy all im going to say is be very carfull with those extra strong pain killers they hand out.

Forkner rips, and is like, super talented, but like, needs to quit crashing :)

i'm sorry but this kid needs to realize when enough's enough. Don't push your luck. There's much more to life than racing. You are already going to be in pain for life and it doesn't get better with age. With your history of injuries it's just a matter of time before you don't walk away.

He was unable to perform at his best because he lost focus due to thoughts about defeating the other rider with one eye. He was also distracted by his contact lens falling out. If he can learn to maintain complete concentration during his races and not let other thoughts interfere, he would have been a multiple-time 250 SX champion by now. Unfortunately, he has crashed and ended this series and previous championships. It's crucial not to worry about what other riders may think if you beat them with one eye. The key is to focus solely on your own race. Although I have great admiration for Forkner as a rider, he needs to work on his mental game. It's easier said than done, but the greatest riders are able to block out distractions and focus solely on their performance.

Keep charging AF! ALL FUN! Looking forward to seeing him ride again

I’m glad he’s getting better. Think about how great it would be when you have a a really bad day at work you have all these people messaging you and cheering you on. That’s got to be nice. If I got to work and we have a multi fatality car accident and I’m in a dark place, I don’t have people in my DMs cheering me on. Good for these guys

It's about heart!!! It's easy to see in you that you have more heart than the other competitors and that's what I think draws people to you. Stay close to God and he will lead you to where he wants you to be. And that is always what is best for us. Even though it may not seem like it at the time. God bless you Austin!!!

I'm 10 mins in and have to say, While Austin's enthusiasm is great, his desire to STILL "stamp it" or be the fastest or near top of each session, is really disappointing to hear. We all know he is as fast as or even faster than 99.9% of MX/SX racers. It's a pity he seems to need to validate his speed to himself each time or after all this time. This is the exact attitude that causes injury, I have seen it so many times and he is living proof. I was hoping that his work with Ryno was working towards backing it down slightly and using consistency rather than balls out speed. The risk/reward is so dramatically different. Having lost his contact lens would have been a perfect time to back it down 5-10% and wait for another day to push on. Anyway, best wishes to him, he is as tough as nails and fast as f**k, for sure!

I know he feels so much pain everyday but it sucks so much to see the talent and raw speed he has, he just hasn’t been able to accomplish many things in SX/MX. other than being an inspiration and motivation to many with his comeback stories. I hope he can get a full season in and his body allows that.

Love Austin, but his choice of those tattoos are pretty rough imo 😂

When you don't own these mistakes you repeat them. Canard is a perfect example.. Does god hate Canard? Does he hate Forkner? I say no. I say he will bless you more if you hear what is your own responsibility. Race to your own strenghts/weaknesses, not to the expectations pushing you to ride over your head. Settle for a safe season in 3rd place. IMHO

Like, Like, Like, Like I fuuckinnng Like, Love this kid Like, Like we know you are and have been the most Gnarly 250 rider for years!!! Get'em next year bud!!!

Austin’s been through hell and keeps going. He is one tough MFer no doubt, praying he gets back to 100% physically and mentally. KEEP GOING AUSTIN💪🤘🏆

Love Forkner!

Ryno stuffed up his only condition should have ‘do not crash regardless of where you finish’ and build from there. Not you are the best rider silliness

You've had almost a decade to perform your craft

I’m really hoping to see Austin come back at the end of the season and just get some more races under his belt.

well done SML letting him "release" those emotions by keeping quiet, A great interview. Total respect for AF, but no 1 mentions using airbags on the concrete [etc] where possible during races, theyre movable/temporary and cheap !

He said “like” a million times

Stop saying like, you’re a legend tho

So so stoked to see this🤘This is one of our hopes to run with jet and personally I think he can do it.

Ill tell you what i live in mich and ive been to supercross in detroit and pontiac since 1977 i love racing and raced ameture back in the day but anyway i remember at ford field watching you a few years ago spanking chase sextons butt , and without injuries you would be running top 3 in 450 class so im on your side buddy

Like I like totally wanted to like finish this but like I can’t like get like through it without like gettin like totally tripped up by like the word like being like used like every other word...........yeah no for sure.

Love and prayers Austin! Love you man... you can handle it. Learn from it. Grow from it. Put it in it's place and let it go... look forward. God deserves all the Glory. You deserve a full season rippin like you know. I think you can learn to know when to back off, or down... But there is a focus to it and letting yourself be too analytical with racing can bite. So that's what I see in your last few injuries except when Jett went banzai and landed on you... but otherwise, Nashville, A1, & Arlington... I feel you can learn from those. But never doubt yourself Austin. You're one of the best in the world. Hands down one of the guys. You absolutely belong out there winning and contending titles. Don't think like the industry gets you to think about age... go look up John Dowds career on RacerX. He was racing a long time. I.e., Kelly Slater, Tony Hawk, Pastrana & Renner & Sypes, but you definitely have plenty of time. Heal your mind, body, and soul... do it for God, yourself, your family... but don't worry about us... We were blessed to watch you display your gift on a dirtbike. No better way to heal your mind than reading God's word daily and having a daily relationship with Christ. You'll be fine Austin. Believe to acheive and The Holy Spirit will put the wind back in your sails bro!

Hope he makes a comeback! One tough dude