On February 22, 2025, Chad Salutz, a passionate privateer motocross athlete for Rides Unlimited, tragically sustained a catastrophic injury while practicing at the Georgia Practice Facility (GPF) in preparation for an upcoming race. During a routine training session, Chad’s chain snapped mid-jump, causing his front end to drop abruptly. This forced him to be ejected from his bike, slamming his body into the face of the jump with devastating force.
In the moments that followed, Chad tried to move his body but quickly realized that he could no longer feel or move his legs. The gravity of the situation was clear, and emergency medical services were immediately called to the scene. Chad was airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, where he was quickly assessed by a team of specialists.
Upon arrival, Chad was diagnosed with a serious spinal injury: a burst fracture at T7-T8, a spinal cord contusion, and multiple rib fractures. The injury caused a significant loss of sensory and motor function below the T8 vertebrae, resulting in paralysis from the belly button down. Chad also suffered a stable C3 fracture that will be treated conservatively with a cervical collar.
On February 23, 2025, Chad underwent a 5.5-hour surgery performed by Dr. Matthew Lawson, a highly respected spinal surgeon. The procedure included posterior thoracic stabilization, decompressive laminectomy, open reduction of the T8 fracture, and other complex spinal operations to stabilize his spine.
Chad is from Winter Garden, FL and lives with his fiancée, Kelsie. She has been able to be by his side in the hospital. Chad races for the privateer team, Rides Unlimited in the SMX World Championship Series. He competes with the support of top industry sponsors, including Rocky Mountain ATV/MC, KTM, FMF, Dunlop Tires, SEVEN and more.
Chad’s immediate future will involve intense inpatient rehabilitation as he works to adapt to life following this life-changing injury. His team is currently focused on securing the best possible care team and treatment facility to ensure his recovery journey is as successful as possible.
While the road ahead is uncertain and full of challenges, Chad and his family are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from his friends, sponsors and everyone else in the motocross community. Despite the severity of his injury, upon hearing the prognosis from his doctor, Chad’s first response was “This will not be my story. I am going to give this everything I’ve got.” This shows how strong and determined Chad is.
Lead image: Road 2 Recovery
