“Don’t Just Fade Away”: Anti-Drugs Icon Tony Hawk Lived a Glamorous Life But Never Felt the Need to ‘Fit In’

Tony Hawk is the most widely known skateboarder of the modern era. The legend has completely revolutionized the sport. He is the pioneer of the modern skateboard, landing the first 900 tricks. The world knows Hawk as a legendary skateboarder, successful entrepreneur, and founder of ‘The Skatepark Project’. But even the 56-year-old had many distractions in these years. 

Tony Hawk has brought glory to his nation and the sport. He has set some high standards for the upcoming skateboarders. The legend had to go through a lot in his career in order to achieve such heights. He had a brief history of surrounding himself with drugs and alcohol.

Tony Hawk’s initial encounter with drugs and alcohol

Tony appeared for a short interview with ‘Natural High‘ two years back. In the interview, he opened up about his encounters. He told how the surrounding players were addicted to narcotics. He said, “I remember very much getting exposed to drugs and alcohol at a very young age in my life”.

‘The Birdman‘ got the limelight very early in his life as a result. Soon, he was competing with renowned professional and experienced skaters. As a result, he became part of the prevailing drug and alcohol culture in the sport. “I was thrown into the mix with a much older crew once that was very well-versed and was already partying,” he said. 

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However, Hawk, soon that such addictions can destroy his career. He observed his fellow teammate’s performances and decided not to indulge in any such activities from then. He said, “It gave me a pause because I was like I don’t want to do something that will make me skate worse”. 

Tony Hawk has his priorities set

The definition of being high is very different for Tony Hawk. The ‘Birdman’ believes that staying clear-headed and enjoying the process is the most important thing for him. He also advised youngsters to not fall into the vicious cycle of addiction culture. He said, “Don’t just fade away and know that there is a whole other group“

Tony Hawk never looked back since then and kept excelling in his field. The San Diego native has had a distinguished career, taking home the global title of the National Skateboard Association 12 times in a row. He played a huge role in helping skateboarding gain recognition at the biggest stage in sports. Hawk also never hesitates to give back to the sport that elevated him to legendary status.

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