An Australian motocross star sent a touching message to his mother just minutes before he tragically died while practicing the daring jump that made him famous.
Jayden Archer, 28, crashed in a training accident in Melbourne on February 21 when he attempted a triple backflip – a move he became the first person to successfully perform in a freestyle motocross competition.
Archer, affectionately known as Jayo, was farewelled by family and friends this week at a service at Cumulus Chapel in Melbourne’s Dandenong South.
His mother Tracey told the gathered mourners about the last interaction she had with her son in the moments before his fateful ride.
“Fourteen minutes before my beloved son left this earth, he screenshotted a quote: ‘I am strong because I was raised by a strong woman,’” she said, Seven News reported.
“I will hold this for the rest of my life,” she added.
“He will never truly leave those he loved. He will live on forever in our hearts and memories. He was and always will be my golden boy Jayo.”
Jayden ‘Jayo’, Archer (pictured with girlfriend Beth King) was a member of the famous Nitro Circus crew for over a decade and was a two-time X Games medalist
Motocross legend Travis Pastrana called Archer “a great human being first, a hard worker second and a bad mother third” as he paid tribute to his buddy
Archer has been part of the Nitro Circus tour for more than a decade after first being introduced to the sport when he was mentored by Australian motocross rider Cam Sinclair at the age of nine.
He was laid to rest with his helmet and riding boots.
His father Gary told the crowd he was proud that people from all over the world had contacted him in recent weeks to let him know the positive impact his son had had on them.
His mother told mourners this week that she had received a screenshot of a quote from her son just minutes before the crash (a mockup is pictured)
Tracey said she couldn’t be more grateful to be his mother and just days ago posted a heartfelt tribute to him on social media.
‘On Wednesday, February 21, my world froze when I heard that my beloved son had died in a training accident. He was supposed to go to Vienna this week, but we are planning his funeral instead,” she wrote.
‘He may have been covered in tattoos and fearless on a motorcycle, but he was also the most kind, caring, sweet son, fiancée, family member and mate.
“He worked so hard and was dedicated and was never afraid to dream big.
“He lived life to the fullest and will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him. I don’t believe he will ever truly leave me, I will always feel him in my heart. Love forever mommy xox.”
Archer had two X Games medals to his name but became a hero in the motocross community when he pulled off a never-before-done triple backflip at the 2022 Nitro World Games in Brisbane.
The 28-year-old (pictured center with fellow motocross racers) was practicing the triple backflip trick that made him famous when he died
One of the first things he did after completing the history-making trick was to propose to his girlfriend Beth King.
Mrs King told mourners she knew they would be together from their first dates and told how, less than a year into their relationship, he asked her how long they should be dating before it was appropriate to propose.
He finally grabbed the opportunity right after an interview after his first jump into the world.
“I can’t describe this feeling,” Archer told the crowd.
‘To me this is so much more than a trick. I have dedicated my entire life to this moment for the past three years. There were a lot of obstacles, broken bones and knockouts, and I would do it again a hundred times to relive that moment.”
He then got down on one knee and asked the question.
Archer and King met through social media, with King saying she knew they would be together from their first dates
King said in a heartbreaking social media post that they were planning to have twins.
“My beautiful, beautiful boy… I could write a book about you, but I freeze at the thought that this is even real and that I have to write this,” King began.
‘To the world you were tough and strong and tough as nails, but to me and my family you were soft, gentle, loving, kind, beautiful.
“You never let anything happen to me, you loved your family more than anything, your morals were incredible.
“You wanted to start a family, we were going to have those twins, we were going to get married, I’m so sorry we didn’t achieve those things, you would have been the most incredible father.
“God, I’m so lucky to have experienced the love we had.
“There will forever be a giant hole the size of a Jayo in my heart, I don’t know how life can go on without you here.
“I love you forever, Jayden Archer.”
Archer was planning to marry his fiancée Beth King (pictured together) later this year before tragedy struck last Wednesday
Nitro Circus co-founder and motocross legend Travis Pastrana was shocked to hear of his friend’s death.
‘This is really a bull’s eye. Jayo grew up at a time when action sports was at its peak, and he always wanted to do the big things like the double and the triple, even though there weren’t many places to show those bigger tricks,” Pastrana said. ESPN.
“He would get up at 4 a.m. every morning and go to the gym before work so he could ride his dirt bike.
“When he came to Maryland to train, he stayed at my house and was an incredible role model for my kids. He was a great person first, a hard worker second, and a bad mother third.”
In October last year, Archer sent a birthday message to Mrs King.
“Happy birthday to my best friend, my fiancé, my lover, my partner in crime,” he wrote.
‘I’m so lucky to have you. Nice that you responded to those Facebook messages of mine all those years ago.’