1990 a friend and I skated from downtown (that round manual pad spot) to Little 5. We had to stop cars every little bit to ask directions and finally made it to the little shop at the bottom of Euclid. I walked in super stoked and asked Thomas straight away where any spots were. ”There’s spots all around just go skate and find some”. He wasn’t wrong. A few couple years later when out of the blue I decided to become a photographer he sent me out with Adam Luxford to collier pool. Of course those photos were shit but he always pressed me to keep shooting and always gave me something to point my camera at. Always. He always gave me the chance. I have tons of Thomas stories but the cool thing is I’m not the only one. I’m not special, we all are, we knew Tom. He gave us these memories as a gift, maybe not knowing that at the time, but these memories are some of the best I’ve ever received. Thomas you were always so good to Kate and myself, you will always be in our hearts and we will be forever grateful for your friendship and love.
🦩@slimone1000 🦩you may have met him in person, seen him on insta, heard mythical sounding stories, or maybe this is your first visual encounter. Leo aka “The Black Flamingo” was hit by an suv in Miami just before the holidays which broke his neck. We need this man back in the streets and on the trails. I’ve put the go fund me in my bio, bit by bit everything helps.
