On Thursday, I caught up with Japanese FMX star Eigo Sato. Sato was doing something that so many of us take for granted: stopping to get gas. Despite the loss of his office in the tsunami that followed last week's devastating earthquake, Sato expressed relief that things did not go much worse; his friends and family are all accounted for. Still, Sato comes from the region directly affected by the current nuclear crisis, which continues to make digging out from the rubble left by the disaster difficult and potentially deadly. The first Red Bull X-Fighters of the year is next month, but that's the farthest thing from Sato's mind right now.

Ricky MontiEigo Sato throws a lazy boy flip at the "Go Big" FMX contest he held at the local FMX park in Fukushima last May. According to Sato, the park is about 50 kilometers from where the tsunami hit and where the degenerating nuclear plant is located.

ESPN: Sato San, How are you?
Sato: F---ing terrible!

So I heard on the news today that your gas stations are rationing and will only give you a small amount of gas?
Yeah, I don't have gas -- only a few (liters) left and now I'm only two hundred kilometers away from the nuclear plant. It's pretty far, but here all the people are afraid to run out of gas. So people come to buy -- it's like panic!

Where do you live? What's your town?
My town is Iwaki and it is in the same state (prefecture) as Fukushima ... yeah, I'm in Fukushima. My house is in Fukushima, that's the place with the nuclear plant. Maybe half of freestyle riders in Japan live in Fukushima. But all of the Japanese riders are away from Fukushima because they were able to escape.

How are you doing? How is your family? Is everything OK?
My wife and my wife's parents and my kid are now in Chiba, near Tokyo, so I escaped, but my parents, brother, brother's wife and family are staying in Fukushima. Every time I ask my brother, "Hey, escape from there," he reminds me that my brother's wife's parents are working for the Electric company. It's not a nuclear thing, but the other power station. So the family can't move because they have to work for Japan. That means my brother can't move because his wife's parents are working for Japan. So my brother is staying in his town and if my brother stays, then my mother stays. It's f---ing terrible.

Eigo SatoSato's friend Kenny checks out the wreckage around where his house used to be.

Are they in the same town as you, or in a different town?
They are in my town, but it is only maybe, fifty kilometers away from the nuclear plant. We don't trust what the government is saying, you know? I think maybe half of Japanese people don't trust the government because I think things (at the nuclear facility) are too bad to tell the truth.

What do you remember from that day when everything happened?
I was in Austria (at Masters of Dirt). My wife called me and said, "Japan has had a big earthquake," but the effects of the earthquake were not too bad. Just scary and yeah, some people died, but it's not a big, big problem. But then the tsunami came in. The tsunami washed out my friend's house and my office. It's gone.

Your office is gone?
Yeah, because my friends house was my office too. My friend loves surfing, so he was living at the beach in front of a surf spot. That's why when the tsunami came in his house got destroyed -- there's nothing left. My apartment was okay, but even if the tsunami came in and washed out my house -- we are still alive! All my friends are alive. All the Japanese FMX riders are alive, but now the biggest problem is Japan's nuclear things. All the people are afraid of it.

So nobody in the Japanese FMX scene has been badly affected by it -- none of the other riders?
For now, there's no big problem, but (laughs to himself) our practice place -- our FMX park -- is in Fukushima too. (Click here to view a photo gallery of a recent contest Sato held at the FMX park in Fukushima, and here for a video) So I'm practicing every day in my head for X-Fighters [laughs].

Eigo SatoThis is the second floor (now the first floor) of the house where Sato's office was located.

Was the park affected? Did it get damaged by the tsunami?
No, no, no, but all the people in Fukushima are trying to escape because of the nuclear thing. And things are getting worse.

How close is your park to the nuclear plant?
Probably like fifty kilometers.

So how is the general mood there among the people and the FMX community?
Our friend Cazi has started to get donations. Half of Japan is still normal because there was no earthquake and no nuclear problem. The people who like FMX are giving us money to donate. They want to help.

What's his plan for the money? Where is he going to donate it?
The plan is to send it to Fukushima or Sendai, because of the tsunami thing -- we will send the donations there.

Is there a way for people from outside Japan to donate that way?
I want people who are out of Japan to donate to Japan, but I don't know how to do that. Yesterday I checked on the internet, but I need some help to figure out the way to do it. I'm now out of my town, but my family is still there and I am trying to find out what I can do.

But since life is moving on: Obviously X-Fighters is one month away -- are you ready?
(Laughs) Like I told you, everyday I am practicing in my head. I don't know. I have no idea when I can practice again, because Japan is so horrible right now. I never forget about X-Fighters though, I just use my imagination!

Eigo SatoThis is Sato's Red Bull fridge ... far removed from where it was originally located.

Did you learn any new tricks before you want to Austria?
Well, I was very close to feeling like I did before I crashed last year. I'm getting strong again. Then Japan popped up, so ...

In the aftermath of this disaster, what would you like to say to the world FMX community?
The first thing is that all Japanese FMX riders are alive so don't worry about us. But we are still in trouble so if you have resources, please donate to Japan. Many of my friends, many foreign people emailed me, Facebooked or tweeted me and said things like "Hey Japan!" and they "pray for us." I want to say thank you to all of those people because I really appreciate it. That message makes us strong, so thank you.

Editors note: One of the easiest ways to donate is to text REDCROSS to 90999 to give 10 dollars to Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims, check the Apple iTunes Red Cross donations page, or donate directly through Japan's FMX community via Civic Force by clicking here. Here are instructions on how to donate.