In 2006, I released the first full length video from Protest Skateboards. A lot of people probably didn’t see this video just because I didn’t publicize it, didn’t have it for sale anywhere, and didn’t utilize YouTube back then, if it even existed. It’s a shame though because it contained one of the craziest skateboard video parts ever made with the 2×4 board, which a lot of people have watched now since I put that section on YouTube.
The Video was named Never Give Up.
It was named this for many reasons, mainly just because I’m one of those people that makes tons of goals for themselves and then does whatever it takes to fulfil those goals. And sometimes, most times, there are many many surprise barriers that come into play.
All my life I was one of those guys that was always hurt, and I would get seriously injured often where it would take months to recover and life would never be the same. To some, they might consider me to be accident prone, but for any that knew my lifestyle, I was far from it. I just liked to do crazy things, and invent a lot of new tricks on skateboards and snowboards. I wasn’t accident prone, I just spent my life doing things that if you make a mistake, you’re gonna get hurt.
So we worked on this video for quite a while, and one day in 2005, I got really hurt, blew out my MCL kickflipping down a 3 block. I couldn’t believe it happened, especially on such a basic trick down a fairly small gap compared to some of the stuff I used to fly over, but it happened. I was out. It took me almost 7 weeks to put my cane down permanently and start skateboarding again. 1 week later I was asked to do a Video Shoot for a Commercial this guy was making for a contest and I said yes. I started ignoring the pain and doing flip tricks on the flat banks and over this pyramid. I had a great day, and didn’t get hurt!
I think I was too excited though because as the guys were putting away their equipment, I stopped them and said, “I got one more…”
I pulled out this fold up table and told them I was going to hijump it, you know I jump over it and my board goes under and we come back together in perfect unison.
Blam!! My back foot slips off my tail when I land it and fully folded my knee over sideways, again.
So my friend Homer carried me out to the car and we went back to my house so I could wallow in sorrow. I had still not been to see a doctor, and had no plans for it. I spent another 6 weeks recovering again, all the time gaining weight and losing skills. It was painful, mentally more than anything. But I knew one thing, I was not going to quit. I worked hard to recover, and I made my way back, and unfortunately had to give up big gaps after that injury, but I still skate hard everywhere I go.
It just proved my entire way of life though –
Go out and try new things, fight for what you believe in and work hard to bring your beliefs to reality, take what’s thrown at you and throw it right back, get back up every time you’re pushed to the ground, and whatever you do…
Never Give Up!!
Intro Poem:
As your body crashes into the ground,
You know you’re hurt, you want to scream,
Scream from the pain,
or more the frustration,
Your life could be over,
a career down the drain,
Pain crushes your soul like a tidal wave of mass destruction,
You are dead to the world…
But what if you wiped those tears away?
What if you tell yourself, “It’ll be okay,”
What if you stand up and try to be strong,
Working hard to get better, no matter how long,
You’re only dead if you can’t resurrect,
So Never Give Up –
At least not yet…