See Also:
Beginning of a FAMOUS Hero: The Michael J. Fox Story.
Life Lesson #51 – Become an Expert.
It was May 12th, 1968 that Frank and Nancy Hawk had a baby boy and they named him “Tony.” They all lived in San Diego, California. With warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine, playing outside was just the thing to do. When Tony was 9-years-old his brother, Steve, gave him an old used skateboard. The first time Tony stepped onto the skateboard, he yelled back at his brother, “How do I turn?!”
Well it wasn’t long before Tony not only learned how to turn, he learned a few hundred other tricks, too…including the “900” one of skateboarding’s most difficult maneuvers! Soon, Tony Hawk became known worldwide as the best competitive skateboarder—ever!
His name became very famous, and he began making a lot of money! In fact, he was able to buy his own house before he graduated from high school! Today, amusement park rides are named after him, along with video games, skateboards, clothing, and much more.
But through all that, Tony Hawk wanted to find ways to HELP others. So, in 2002 he created The Tony Hawk Foundation, which has now given more than 32-million dollars to low-income communities so they can build skate parks and provide recreational programs for young people.
Yes, that 9-year-old first time skateboarder, used his talents to not only create a great life for himself, he also works to HELP others! His extreme skateboarding talent makes Tony Hawk really cool—his working hard to HELP others makes Tony Hawk a HERO!
– Jim Lord