It’s hard to lose someone close to you. I would say that the pain is more severe when you’re across the world. I feel that pain…
Yesterday I was sitting on the couch here at debrief. I was planning on resting well and getting ready for Thailand, which we will be leaving there tomorrow. I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, catching up on all that my friends and family are going through. As my eyes ran down the page, I noticed something out of place, something that I couldn’t comprehend. Someone has posted these 3 horrendous letters on my friend Sebastian’s page: “RIP.”
Sebastian Vargas, an awesome guy I’ve known for as long as I can remember, has passed away.
At first I didn’t think it was real. Surely not. He’s such a rad dude. So young. He has the world ahead of him.
But as my fingers scrolled down his Facebook page, my heart was broken.
I first met Sebastian at the legendary Skatepark of Tampa. He was an amazing skater. His style on a skateboard was like no other. And I’m not just saying that. It seemed like he could skate anything. Rails. Stairs. Transition.
Some people reading might not know what I’m talking about. And that’s actually fine. It’s normal. You see, there’s something unique about the bond between skateboarders. Nothing else matters. There’s no politics, no prejudices, no ideologies. It’s you, your skateboard, and your friends. Skateboarding isn’t just a hobby or a sport. It’s a way of life. It’s a culture. It’s an ethos. We have our own language, our own ways of thinking. Your friends become more then friends. They become family. Skateboarding is this huge connection of people who’s lives may be different, who’s backgrounds may hold no similarities, who’s ideologies and lifestyles may not be identical, but because of this small piece of wood underneath our feet, we’re family. Whether it’s in Tampa or in Guatemala or anywhere around the world. Skateboarding is a way of life.
And it’s all the more reason for any one of us in the skate culture to be devastated by Sebastian’s death. Such an awesome, fun-loving, radical guy. Gone. It’s been hard these past several hours. It’s been surreal. One day your friend is here, the other he is gone. But although they may not be here physically, their memory and the life you had the privilege of sharing with them are still close to your heart. I am thankful that I got to meet such an awesome dude. Keep on rolling Sebastian.
My prayers go out towards the family and friends in this time of hurt.
