The Ben Raemers Foundation
"In May 2019, at the age of 28, professional skateboarder Ben Raemers took his own life.
His passion for life and skateboarding has always been contagious. Ben will be remembered by all as a loving son, brother, friend and inspiration.
Help us to continue his legacy by improving mental health and well-being in the skateboarding community. The Ben Raemers foundation seeks to raise awareness around the tools, techniques and skills that can be used within the community to address issues surrounding mental health and suicide.
The foundation aims to bring awareness to mental health issues and suicide to the forefront. It wants to end the stigma and burden that so often clouds these issues. We do this in the memory of the absolute legend that we lost in Ben. To all of you out there, please remember that if you ever find yourself in a dark place there are people that can help..."
Whether you knew Ben personally, saw him destroy your local park that one time or only ever experienced his infectious zest for life through an Andy Evans DVD or an enjoi web release, it's safe to say we were all united in grief when the tragic news of his passing broke in May of this year.
As much as we all like to pretend we're happy-go-lucky sorts, set in a perpetual state of childhood joy that skateboarding brings, the simple facts are one in four of us will suffer from mental health issues in our lives and 75% of mental illnesses start before we reach our 18th birthday. If Ben's untimely passing is to mean anything it's time to cast the stigma aside and start talking about mental health and that's exactly what the Ben Raemers Foundation intends for us to do.
So whether you're worried about a friend, concerned for your own well being or even just want to see what you can do to help somebody else, hit up the foundation via the website below, follow them on Instagram and talk to to you friends every chance you get. Far too many people suffer in silence, never sharing their woes until the time is too late, and if we're ever going to get beyond circumstances as tragic as these we all need to put the effort in and move forward together.
Let's do it for Ben yeah...
https://benraemersfoundation.com/