Shane Cross Remembered
This past weekend saw the tenth anniversary of the passing of Flip Skateboards pro Shane Cross. The circumstances surrounding his tragic and untimely death have been analysed to the Nth degree over the past decade, and there is nothing to be gained from reopening old wounds, so the skate world chose to remember their fallen brother in the most positive of ways; watching old footage and sinking a cold one in his memory!
For those involved in skateboarding in the mid noughties, it seems almost impossible that ten long years have passed since the perma-toked antipodean ripper shuffled off this mortal coil, leaving behind him a trail of skateboarding destruction few will ever climb the heights to replicate. Any young death is tragic but Shane's positivity and zest for life made the news so much harder to bear. Now though, with the healing nature of time and so much great footage to remember him by, we can all sit and enjoy his skateboarding with nothing but pleasant memories.
For those of you too young to have witnessed his unworldly skills first hand, consider it no hyperbole at all that he was, without a doubt, one of the most naturally gifted skateboarders the world will ever know. Though we can only speculate as to where his career might have taken him, we can enjoy the tricks he left behind and relish them for the rest of our collective days. With that in mind, please enjoy this touching tribute from the 2007 Volcom Video appropriately titled 'Let's Live', re-shared by Thrasher five years ago.
Rest in peace Shane.