知名滑板杂志《Thrasher》主编 Jake Phelps 辞世

今天的滑板圈迎来一条令人悲伤的消息，知名滑板杂志《Thrasher》主编 Jake Phelps 不幸逝世，享年 56 岁。在 Phepls 担任主编之后，《Thrasher》在很多方面进行了改进，并逐渐发展成全球最具名气的滑板杂志，甚至是街头品牌之一。回顾 Phelps 的一生，他曾多次与「死神」擦肩而过：他曾被毒贩用刀子刺伤过胸部、差点在 Antioch 开车时被射杀，也曾因被剧毒蜘蛛咬而差点失去胳膊……但他坚韧的个性正代表了滑板运动的叛逆精神。对于 Phelps 的离世，《Thrasher》创始人 Tony Vitello 也发表了一篇长文表达了感谢之情：

Jake Phelps was 100% skateboarder, but that label sells him way too short, because beyond his enormous influence in our world, he was truly an individual beyond this world. When loved ones pass we sometimes mythologize about their full lives rich in friendships and experiences. Sometimes we need to talk ourselves into believing it all. It makes us feel better, and helps us cope with the loss. Well, in the case of Jake, the task becomes wrapping your head around just how many lives one person could possibly live. He really did see it all, do it all, and that incredible brain of his could relish every last detail. 

But most of you reading this now identified primarily with Jake Phelps the skateboarder, and editor of our magazine, so I will leave you with this truth – I never met anybody who loves anything more than Jake worshipped skateboarding. Just as we need food and water to survive, Jake needed skateboarding to keep his blood pumping. It was more than a hobby or form of transportation or way of life – it was his oxygen. Here’s another thing. Jake never bailed. Jake fucking slammed. And there is a big difference. He only knew commitment. He was going to go for it without hesitation, and there were only two outcomes. Either you’d see his triumphant fist pumping in the air or it’d be an earth-shaking collision with the concrete. I remember him telling me once that he never fell backwards, he always fell forward. Leaning back meant there was hesitation, and Jake was all the way IN. 

There was no myth. The man was the myth. We love you, Jake.

-Tony Vitello