Explain the first moment or interaction that sparked your interest to try skateboarding?
— I was at my local skatepark watching an Adio demo back in 1999 or 2000 & one of the pro skaters yelled at me to get off one of the ramps & I remember being super bummed, I literally went home & my neighbor lent me his board to learn how to skate.
What was your first skateboard setup and how did you get it?
— I believe it was an OG script Santa Cruz! It was all white with a red logo in the middle. My grandma got it for me & I remember every time I’d go to her house I would repaint the graphic if there was any scratches on it to keep it looking fresh.
Where was your favorite place to skate when you first started and why?
— Definitely my local skatepark, DJV aka Iroquois in Whitby. It was a 15 min skate from my place. I’d be there everyday from 8am til dark, it was an escape from my reality at a young age & I could always challenge myself in different ways.
Tell me a little about where you are from and what your upbringing was like?
— I grew up 40 minutes outside of Toronto in a small town called Whitby. I didn’t have your ordinary childhood. I had drug abusing parents that would fortunately let me have a lot of freedom to do what I want because they didn’t want me to fall down the same path.. it was challenging at times, but I always made the most of it each & everyday.
Do you think your parental influences forced you to grow up any faster and/or make certain decisions?
— 100%, I was selling chocolate bars at 10 years old on weekends to buy skate product & have lunch/dinner for myself.
What is an example of a not so regular decisions a young TJ had to make?
— Having to lend my parents money in grade 7 amongst many others.
Do you feel like the interaction with the Adio team motivated you to learn certain tricks or made you want to skate more like one of those guys?
— I wouldn’t say it motivated me to skate like them, but It definitely sparked something in me to where i wanted to skate and be accepted at the skatepark wherever I go.
How old were you when you first got sponsored? And how long had you been skating at that point?
— I had some local sponsors that were helping me out around the age of 12? I had been skating for about 3-4 years max.
Was the goal to get sponsored or did you not have those expectations?
— Growing up I had a pretty tough upbringing & skateboarding was expensive for my parents.. I tried my best to pay for my things when I
could or get used product from the older dudes at the park, but just like every kid we all want to get sponsored.
What is your all around favorite wheel? shape, size and formula.
— BONES WHEELS STF, V3 shape, 52mm, & 103A formula!
Favorite crew to skate with and why?
— I love skating with everyone honestly! But skating with my friends I grew up with back home is always amazing. We always skate/ reminisce on the good times back in the day & it’s refreshing to hang with my boys I grew up with.
If I could be a fly on the wall I’d like to….
— To hear what will be said or see what will happen while not being noticed.
If you could do it all over again, would you change anything?
—I definitely would change certain things that I did growing up in my career, nothing major.. but overall I’m very happy with the way things are/went. Not everyone is given the opportunity to skateboard professionally. I am truly grateful to be a part of it and work with the companies I do.
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