What happened to Luke Burland? Nitro Circus remembers former member two years after tragedy

Nitro Citrus is still mourning the loss of its former member, Luke Burland, two years after he died.

In a post on Facebook uploaded on Thursday, May 29, alongside a handful of photos of the late sportsman, the caption read:

"Today we remember our good mate Luke Burland, who we sadly lost 2 years ago. Not many could make us laugh and lift our spirits the way you did. #nitrofamilyforever"

Burland, who was a member of the extreme sports athletes renowned for engaging in gruelling stunts and tricks, died on May 29, 2023. A GoFundMe initiative cites his cause of death as suicide. However, another website, Doms2Cents, claims he had been involved in a freak accident involving a horse.

At the time, the seasoned equestrian's horse allegedly got spooked by something, causing him to bolt. This, in turn, culminated in Luke Burland falling off and sustaining massive injuries to his head. He reportedly died on the spot, though this contradicts the GoFundMe claim.

Luke Burland's life and legacy explored as tributes continue to come pouring in

In the GoFundMe campaign initiated shortly after Luke Burland's demise, so as to raise funds to support his family with the funeral costs, the statement read:

"Luke was much more than just an athlete. He was a beloved brother, son, cousin, uncle, nephew, grandson and friend — an integral part of his community, and a treasured member of his family. His kind heart, infectious smile, and contagious laugh brought joy and happiness to the lives of countless young people and old, and his spirit and energy could light up even the darkest room."

It went on,

"Sadly, Luke's bright and vibrant life was cut tragically short when he took his own life. His absence has left a hole in the hearts of all who knew him, and the pain of his loss is something that will never fully heal. But even in death, Luke's memory lives on — a constant reminder of his joy, his passion, and the love that he brought to the world."

The fundraising initiative exceeded its goal of $30,000 AUD in support of Luke's family. The page pointed out that all of these funds were to go toward the sportsman's end-of-life expenses, with the remainder being placed in a trust for his family as backup.

As reported by Distractify, Nitro Circus has since commemorated his demise every year since his passing. At the time of his demise, one of his friends and fellow scooter rider, Terry Price, mourned his loss on social media.

“This one goes out to all of the scooter riders out there that have gone through tough times. Life isn’t always easy, but through scooter riding we persevere. Make the most of life, make what you want of it & be what you want to be. RIP @lukeburland this one is for you," he penned.

Travis Pastrana, the founder of Nitro Circus, also uploaded a photo of Luke Burland on Instagram, while the caption read:

“Luke Burland was one of the most talented scooter riders I’ve ever seen. He was also one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. He had a passion for horses and loved riding them as much as he loved riding scooters. He was always smiling and always positive. He will be greatly missed by everyone at Nitro Circus and by everyone who knew him. Rest in peace, Luke.”

One of Luke's other friends, Ryan Williams, also shared a tribute video on YouTube, titled RIP LUKE BURLAND. In it, he reflected on how he felt about his friend's passing, noting that Burland was one of his best friends growing up. He said Luke was one of the first people he had ever ridden scooters with, noting that he always had his back.

"He was always happy and always fun to be around. He was an amazing person and an amazing rider. I can’t believe he’s gone. I’m going to miss him so much," Williams said of his late friend.

Doms2cents has reported that Luke was born in Sydney, Australia, but he grew up on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. He was an alumnus of Menai, and had built a name for himself for his bike riding skills.

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Luke Burland was also a veteran equestrian, having competed in sporting events with his horse, Charlie. They reportedly won several accolades together. One of the patrons on the GoFundMe initiative, Joe Lee, revealed that Luke was part of the Australis Scaffolding and Australis Safety Rail family.

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