26/08/2026
Before I and Aki met.. growing up in San Jose, it was pretty rough for me. I got jumped all the time throughout middle school, junior high and highschool. I definitely wasn’t cool by any means, although i would try at times.. but you couldn’t look past me being skinny, nerdy and with glasses. I was often made fun of. Somehow, I had a handful of really good friends that stuck around me no matter what i went through. But even then I needed something to help me escape this madness that was always following me. That outlet was skating. Through skating I found a peace outside of my surroundings and outside of my own head. Id skated to live an entirely different life. It was something I not only needed everyday but used as an excuse to run away from everything. It was my only outlet to express who i was, at the time. Through it, i made many good memories and met some awesome people along the way. Aki’s brother, Ed, and I used to skate Stonegate middle school together before the skate park was built. Years later we would somehow hook up through fishing. This trip back, i got to visit some old spots like Lion Plaza. My dad would take me to this plaza as a kid to have noodles but as i got older I found myself skating these steeps and ledges at the plaza a lot. One day, Tim Brauch showed up and i had the honor to witness and skate with him before his death. It got me thinking how thankful i am to have had such a life. Even though growing up i had to go through some rough patches it lead me to an even greater blessing that shaped my life in ways i could have never imagined. Now as I hear the words of Pastor inside of the the church, “God only gives us good things.” I can only agree. Even through the thick of it all, # it is to lead me a certain way and to give me certain things. Im thankful to all those whom He allowed me to cross paths with 💕
