Tony Hawk has promised to come back from a severely broken femur, which he described as his "biggest test" in his goal to keep skateboarding.
Hawk, 53, did not reveal how he sustained the injury, but said it will be "harder" to recover from compared to previous injuries, citing his age and the severity of the break.
"Yesterday sucked. I broke my elbow 20 years ago and managed to make a full comeback; this recovery for a broken femur will be much harder because of its severity [and my age]. But I'm up for the challenge," Hawk said in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
"There is a strange irony that this happened on the eve of HBO releasing a trailer for 'Until The Wheels Fall Off,' Sam Jones' documentary about my life & career, which has a strong focus on the philosophy of how I/we do this at our age.
"The answer is complicated, but ultimately it's because I have found my sense of purpose and shaped my identity through skating, and it nourishes my mental health immensely. I've said many times that I won't stop skating until I am physically unable. A broken leg -- with plenty of hardware -- will probably be the biggest test of that creed. I'll be back... maybe not at full capacity but I resigned to that notion years ago as I approached 'mid-life.'
"Thanks to my unyieldingly supportive, tolerant family -- and all of you -- for the love and support through the years; I wouldn't be here without you. See you on the other side."
Hawk won 10 X Games gold medals in his career, including a 12-year run as world champion before retiring from professional competition in 2003.