Professional skateboarder and model Dylan Rieder has died at the age of 28. His family and management reported his tragic passing.
Rieder’s manager confirmed to Jenkem magazine:
“Today, October 12th, 2016, surrounded by family and friends, Dylan Joseph Rieder passed away due to complications with Leukemia.”
“His passion for life, art, music, fashion and skateboarding has always been contagious. Dylan will be remembered by all as a loving son, brother and friend.”
“In lieu of sending flowers, the family requests donations be made in Dylan’s memory to Dr. Stephen Forman,” the statement continued.
“Dr. Stephen Forman was Rieder’s doctor.”
“[He] is also the international expert in the hematology and oncology fields at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in California.”
Rieder, a native of California, began skateboarding at age 9, and put himself on the map in 2001 with a win in the Damn Am contest at age 13.
During his professional career, he partnered with brands such as Alien Workshop, Birdhouse, F—ing Awesome, Huf, Osiris, Rasa Libre and Quicksilver.
He hadn’t competed professionally since February 2016.
Along with skateboarding, Rieder also made a name for himself in modeling; Vogue featured him in a a spread with Alexander Wang in 2013.
Dylan was also in a DKNY ad campaign with Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn in spring 2014, and appeared in various magazines.
Following the news of Rieder’s death, many from the skateboarding industry who knew him expressed their condolences on the Internet.
Tony Hawk took to social media writing, “Thank you for making skateboarding so much better while you were here, Dylan.”
Paul Rodriguez tweeted simply, “Rest easy Dylan.”
Thrasher Magazine said: “Born to ride a skateboard?”
“It’s a seemingly silly concept when you think about it, but Dylan Rieder made us believe it. That man was absolutely, positively a gift.”
“Power, style, grace … he had it all. That said, he was much more than a skateboarder and that’s what makes this infinitely tragic.”
“Think about what he had already accomplished and imagine how much more he could have done. We are at a loss for words right now.”
“What we do know is that Dylan made everything around him better.”
Our thoughts, the magazine concluded its tribute, “are with his family and friends in this difficult time. Rest in peace, Dylan Rieder.”
“We will all miss you, each day more than the next.”