#010 – Remembering Van Wastell

Van Wastell was a professional skateboarder. He was born on April 22, 1984, and passed away on September 5, 2008 while on tour in Germany. As a teenager, Van was discovered by Mark Gonzales, a pioneer street skater. Mark Gonzales and the Krooked company would go on to make Van pro – those relationships would remain fruitful until the end. 

In this interview, Allen Orrante and Anthony Quintero sit down with Eddie Villa, Van Wastell's older stepbrother. Eddie discusses many of the attributes that made Van special. Van was kind, humble, generous, and funny to those who knew him well. Eddie remembers times that Van helped him out with gas money and bought him lunch. 

In this conversation, Eddie offers an account of how he dealt with Van's untimely death. He describes the depression he fell into, and he recalls the strategies that helped him move forward. Eddie continues to honor his brother today by creating tributes, and by keeping Van's images and boards hanging on the wall. 

Van Wastell 

http://www.instagram.com/vanwastell

https://www.youtube.com/user/VanWastell

Eddie Villa

http://www.instagram.com/eddievilla

https://www.youtube.com/user/sk8eddievw81