Bam Margera has been skating hard in the streets, free from alcohol and addiction.
As we previously reported, Margera had been sober for six months as of March 16, 2024, and this year he has already reached one year and four months of sobriety, thanks to his wife Dannii Marie.
After spending much of his adult life battling addiction, Bam Margera credits skateboarding for keeping him alive. The former Jackass and Viva La Bam star has been sober for over a year now, and he says staying on his board has become his daily lifeline.
Margera went to rehab thirteen times, with each stay lasting about ninety days. That’s more than three years spent in treatment, searching for something that would help him stay clean. It wasn’t until he returned to skateboarding that things finally began to shift.
“I realized I don’t need to be on any medication. Skateboarding is my medication,” he said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. “As long as I do a trick a day, it keeps my sanity sane.”
Margera’s wild stunts and unpredictable behavior made him a familiar face on television. But behind the scenes, things were falling apart. The death of his close friend Ryan Dunn in 2011 sent him into a deep spiral. Over the years, he struggled with his health and personal relationships, and in 2022, he was removed from Jackass Forever. He remains distant from most of his former castmates.
Eventually, things reached a breaking point. Years of alcohol abuse took a serious toll on his body, and a near-death experience involving multiple seizures and time on life support forced him to confront the reality of his situation.
Determined to recover, Margera began stretching daily with help from his wife, who works as a stretch coach. As he got stronger, his confidence on the skateboard returned. He started skating every day again, gradually rebuilding his skills and getting comfortable with the physical demands of the lifestyle.
The comeback wasn’t without setbacks. He suffered multiple injuries while relearning tricks, including a broken wrist and a serious elbow injury. But those obstacles didn’t stop him from continuing to skate.
Now, Margera is back in the public eye as a playable character in the upcoming reboot of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 and 4. After nearly missing the opportunity, a last-minute catch-up with Tony Hawk helped get him into the game. At a recent release event in Los Angeles, Margera spent time with fans, played the game, and reflected on his long connection to skateboarding.
Skating is no longer just something he does for fun or fame. It’s become essential to his health and well-being. And after everything he’s been through, staying connected to that passion is what keeps him grounded.