I don’t know about you guys, but it’s been a pretty long week month. I can get overwhelmed, there are certainly not enough hours in the day, definitely lots of nonsense to navigate through, life can get complicated sometimes. But at least we have that life to live, right?

You guys know Mike Franklin aka “Flowin’ Owen,” our longtime skateboarder. Owen’s been with us from the start, and we’ve proudly stood behind him as he’s progressed to all kinds of insane levels as a skater. To Owen, skateboarding is life, and vice versa. So it was definitely an upsetting turn of events a couple months back when he was driving his Harley through an intersection and got T-boned by a truck, flying 50 feet.

Owen wasn’t expected to live past that evening. The hospital called all the homeys and family down to say their goodbyes. But somehow, he made it to the next morning. Next, the doctors said they’d have to amputate his leg. This, they were certain of. Aside from broken collarbones and dislocated shoulders, the impact entwined his bottom right leg into the bike’s machinery, shattered beyond repair. It was deemed a loss.

…but again, somehow, his leg was spared. The doctor came in and was determined to get Owen not only standing again one day on his own feet, but skating. So he played Dr. Frankenstein, importing muscles from his other foot, and working all kinds of surgery miracles. Owen lost 30 pounds in the process, had bouts with medicine-induced hallucinations, not to mention the pure agony and pain. But this guy made it out, alive.

Our man Owen is a testament of determination and willpower. How many of you could go through this ordeal and pull through? Smiling, staying focused on living, fixated on skateboarding? This dude doesn’t complain or cry about how life sucks, how he’s stuck in a wheelchair, enduring the shooting pains from flared nerves. All he talks about is his new outlook on life, how all the little things shouldn’t be taken so seriously, and how it’s just about enjoying the ride. Literally.

Check out this video of the Santa Clarita skatepark gathering to support Owen. Much loved, much respected.

It sucks to see Owen like this, but in no time, he’ll be back at it again. And wheelchair or skateboard, we’ll all still be right behind, pushing him.

by bobbyhundreds