Remembering Mert Lawwill, Champion & Movie Star
1940-2026
By Lori Tyson Richwine
The motorcycle and mountain bike communities came together at the Carson Center in Carson, California to pay their respects and say goodbye to a true legend, Mert Lawwill.
There were amazing vintage dirt track bikes and racing bicycles lining the entryway, along with a wall of career-defining photos from way back in the early days up to the latter days of his career.
The banquet room was filled with the warmth of Mert’s legacy. Nearly 500 attendees watched Dana Brown’s tribute film with tearful eyes and grins on faces. And Mert’s son Joe’s speech brought a tear to the eye and a smile to many faces.
For many, it was a reminder of the original On Any Sunday movie, prominently featuring Mert’s AMA Championship.
And learning about how “Mert’s Hands” prosthetics giving wounded bicycle and motorcycle riders their dignity and freedom back, was a side that many were not aware of.
Mert Lawwill was and is a legend who won’t be soon forgotten.
May He Rest In Peace…
Scroll down for videos.
More, From Mert’s Son Joe Lawwill:
To everyone who joined us on Sunday,
I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you who attended Mert’s Celebration of Life. Seeing nearly 500 people gathered together to celebrate my father was incredibly moving. Many of you traveled a great distance to be there, and I want you to know how much that effort meant to me and our entire family.
As I shared in my speech, I have been deeply touched by the response to Mert’s passing and by the unwavering support I received while putting this event together. Everywhere I turned for help or guidance, I consistently heard the same response:
“For Mert? Absolutely. What do you need?”
That says so much about the way Mert treated people throughout his life. It is also a powerful reminder that how we treat the people around us matters. Being generous with our time, helping others and setting a good example whenever we have the opportunity really does make a lasting difference. The love and support surrounding Sunday’s event were a reflection of the impact Mert had on so many people.
I would also like to thank each of our speakers for sharing their memories and stories on stage. Together, they helped tell the story of Mert’s life in a way that was personal, honest, funny and meaningful. Hearing those stories—and hearing the laughter and emotion throughout the room—was exactly what I hoped the day would be.
I also want to recognize Chris Curto from High Impact Event Technology and his entire AV team for their outstanding work throughout the program. The audio and visual presentation was exceptional, and their skill and professionalism helped everything on stage come together seamlessly. Their work was a critical part of the experience, and I am extremely grateful for everything they did.
A very special acknowledgment must go to our beloved Mert’s Hands crew. Having Jake McCullough, Sherman Lee, Shane Cahill, Josie Fouts and John Van Hoove, better known as “Bandit,” all in attendance was truly special. Every one of these remarkable people is an inspiration, and Mert would have been absolutely delighted to know they were all there together.
I also want to sincerely thank the many attendees who made additional donations in support of the event. A very special thank-you goes to Chris Carter of Motion Pro, whose generosity and support made a tremendous difference. These contributions allowed me to continue moving forward with the level of quality and attention to detail that I felt Mert’s celebration deserved. Quite simply, that generosity helped make it possible to create the first-class event that all of us experienced on Sunday.
I also want to recognize the incredible team at Proforma Hi-Rez. They were instrumental in turning the vision for the displays into reality. Working within a tight timeline, they kept this ambitious project moving forward, worked through countless construction details, built the displays and handled the printing of all the graphics. Throughout the process, they continually checked in with me to make sure everything remained true to the vision and that I was comfortable with each direction before they proceeded. Their commitment to getting it all across the finish line was extraordinary. They were truly fabulous to work with, and without their talent, dedication and tireless work behind the scenes, the displays could never have come together as beautifully as they did.
Having ChadMichael Morrisette from Oh Mannequin to lean on for all of the mannequins was also a tremendous help and relief. His support played an important role in bringing the racing displays together and allowing us to present those pieces of Mert’s history in such a compelling way. I am also very grateful to Alec Call and Bryan Johns for generously sponsoring ChadMichael’s services and helping make this important part of the displays possible.
Once again, I need to give special credit to Don Emde. Don’s help and guidance early in the planning process paved the way for much of what you experienced on Sunday. He also made the wonderful commemorative booklet about Mert’s life possible. A heartfelt thank-you goes to Mike Cowan, who stepped up in a very significant way to help ensure we could afford to produce the booklet in full color and with the quality I felt Mert’s story deserved. I also want to recognize Zap Espinoza for helping craft so many of the words in the book, as well as Mert’s childhood friend Al Kozak, who contributed the wonderful stories that brought Mert’s early years to life.
I hope everyone in attendance received a copy of the booklet. For anyone who did not—or for those who were unable to attend—I have added a digital copy to Mert’s website. The wonderful tribute video created by the Brown family is also available there. You can find both on the Mert Lawwill Celebration of Life page.
We will also be sharing a short highlight video on Mert’s Instagram and Facebook pages as soon as possible. A special thank-you goes to Rich Van Every, who hustled throughout the event capturing photos and video and will be editing both of our recap videos. His work will help preserve the day and allow us to share it with many more people.
In addition to the quick recap, we are producing an extended video that will capture much more of the complete experience of Mert’s Celebration of Life. We expect to share it in the coming weeks.
I am also very happy to share that many of the displays you saw on Sunday will have a future home. Troy Lee is planning to open a small museum at the Troy Lee Designs headquarters in Corona, with the goal of having it open in December. Once it is ready, you will have an opportunity to revisit many of the displays from Mert’s Celebration of Life and experience those pieces of his story again. I will share more information as those plans come together on Mert’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
For those who ordered a Mert T-shirt but were unable to attend the event, please know that we will absolutely get your shirt sent to you. We just need a little time to decompress and then sort through the remaining orders to identify all of the shirts that need to be shipped. We promise we will get to it as soon as possible, and we appreciate your patience and understanding.
For anyone who did not preorder a shirt but would still like one, we will be offering a limited additional print run. We will announce the details on Mert’s social media pages.
There were so many people working behind the scenes, offering advice, loaning important items, sharing photographs and stories, building displays, helping with registration and doing whatever was needed to bring the day together. I remain incredibly grateful to every one of you. I will never forget the generosity, encouragement and friendship you showed me and my family.
Most of all, thank you for being there. Thank you for sharing your stories, your laughter and your memories. Thank you for helping us give Mert the celebration he deserved.
It was an unforgettable day, and all of you made it possible.
With sincere gratitude,
Joe Lawwill
Speakers, in order of appearance on stage:
Don Emde (emcee)
Joe Lawwill
Marcy Lawwill (Mert’s daughter, Joe’s younger sister; their mom June predeceased Mert)
Al Kozak
Kyle Kozak
Allan Seymour
David Aldana
Kenny Roberts
Wayne Rainey
John Parker
Zap Espinoza
Troy Lee
Jake McCullough
John Van Hoove
Josie Fouts
Sherman Lee
Shane Cahill
Dana Brown
Online, check these videos out:
