12ozProphet

I heard the terribly sad news this morning that Andy Kessler had died of an allergic reaction to
a wasp sting while surfing in Montauk. I met first met Andy through Zephyr in the mid-90’s when
we traveled to the South Bronx on an “archeological” expedition to look for the swimming pool
behind an apartment building where some of the first East Coast skateboarders, including Andy,
used to practice in the 70’s. We found that the pool had been demolished but Andy and Zeph were
elated to find pieces amid the rubble.

In addition to helping establish an East Coast skateboarding scene, Andy singlehandedly convinced
the NYC Parks Department to build a skateboard park in Riverside Park. I hadn’t seen much of Andy
for the past dozen years or so but I did speak with him by phone from time to time. He had plans to
write about his early skateboard years and wanted to make sure I still had the photos of the coping
we found in the Bronx.

Andy was super smart, charming, funny and a gifted artist as well as skateboarder. He leaves nothing
less than the entire East Coast skateboarding as his legacy—a huge accomplishment.  Read more
about Andy and Zoo York in this 2005 New York Magazine story.