Thankful He Can Skate

© rumbum.com, Thaddeus Foote

D'Andre Pendergrass,Board Up Miami 2009

April 2, 2007...  A horrible car accident, a fractured C-2 vertebrae and, David, a young Miami skateboarder lies alone in his hospital bed. 

Nine months later...  While skating at the Stan Goldman free skate park in Hollywood,  D’Andre a.k.a. “Wolf”, learns of a fallen “brother” in physical therapy who could use some love and support.  They meet.

Like the ramps they ride, Miami skaters provide support.  They help each other and offer, what one young skater called a “brotherhood”.  As Wolf put it, “I can get mad at someone or have troubles at home, hop on my skateboard and find the freedom I need”.  Miami skating runs deeper than kickflips and ollies.  It’s a spiritual approach, which thousands of our young neighbors have adopted, to help weather the sour flavors of life and celebrate the sweet ones.  It’s a coping mechanism made of “wood and wheels” that works.

By design, Board Up Miami is a ProAm event which means professionals and amateurs compete to win.  Board Up founders want to offer those undiscovered gems with talent and ambition the opportunity to shine.  They want to reach into local neighborhoods and share a slice of Miami culture in a safe and nurturing environment.  By doing so, the founders supply two platforms for our young talent to utilize, one for kickflips and ollies and one for the “brotherhood” and the family.

Board Up Miami ramped up their skateboarding venue this year with a custom ramp built by Team Pain.  Scores of confident, scraped up and daring amateurs spent five hours sweating, launching, tricking, showing off, falling and helping each other up.  Three groups, from beginner to advanced, each had 45 minutes to impress the crowd and panel of judges.  Then, the moment of truth and definition arrived.... the “best trick skate contest”.  In a mere twenty minutes, one talented and lucky South Floridian earned his way to a $500 check and 364 days of bragging rights.

David stands in the crowd, shoulder to shoulder, as his now best friend, Wolf, climbs the podium to collect his check.  David is grateful for his friendship and honored to return the support he received over the past year and a half in physical therapy .  He is thankful he can walk.  He is thankful he can skate.