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PARKS[Parks and Recreation Board Meeting on February 9, 2023]
AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UH, BOARD MEETING.AND, UH, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A ROOM FULL OF GUESTS TONIGHT, WHICH WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE YOU COME BACK EVERY TIME,
UH, SO, UH, THE FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER MEETING.
UH, I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED, A MOTION MADE BY MR. PARISH AND SECOND, SECOND BY MR. KERNER.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
UH, WE'LL HAVE ONE OTHER PIECE OF BUSINESS HERE.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A NEW MEMBER WITH US TONIGHT.
UH, TAMARA, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU? GOOD EVENING.
I, UH, GREW UP IN GARLAND, UH, MOVED AWAY, WENT TO A AND M, MAJORED IN PARSON REC, AND, UH, CAME BACK AND, UH, WANTED TO BE BACK WHERE I GREW UP AND STUDYING, UH, MY MASTERS IN, UM, UH, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AT UTD.
AND I OVERSEE THE LAKE HIGHLAND NORTH REC CENTER FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, I'VE BEEN THERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
RIGHT NOW I'M ABOUT TO GRADUATE FROM THE TEXAS PARK AND REC SOCIETY'S ACADEMY LEADERSHIP NEXT MONTH AT THE CHAPS INSTITUTE.
SO, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND YEAH, LOVE RECREATION, UM, LOVE OUTDOORS, AND, UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE.
AND YOU, YOU STARTED YOUR WORK BACK WHEN YOU CAME OUTTA COLLEGE.
DID YOU START HERE WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND? YES.
UM, I WAS A REC A AT THE HBA RECREATION CENTER.
AND YOU'RE NOT GONNA RECOGNIZE THAT ONE IN A FEW MONTHS.
UH, WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THE, JUST A LITTLE BIT.
WE'RE GONNA, THAT WAS, UM, WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEMS UNDER, FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
I'M GONNA MOVE TWO A TO THE REAR OF THE MEETING SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THE, WITH OUR MAJOR PART OF, UH, THIS MEETING.
UH, GOING TO MOVE TO, UH, ITEM TWO B, WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE RECOMMENDATION OF FACILITIES AND FINANCE COMMITTEE TO GATHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR POSSIBLE RENAMING OF SKATE PARK.
AND, UH, Z I SEE YOU'VE COME UP TO THE FRONT, OR YOU YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR US HERE? YES.
UM, MY NAME IS Z KOROT, AND I'M HERE TO, UH, PRESENT ON THIS ITEM.
UH, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
I DO HAVE A, A FEW SLIDES TO SHARE.
ZIA, WOULD YOU GIVE US YOUR, UH, POSITION WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT? YES, I'M THE, UH, PROJECTS ADMINISTRATOR, UH, HEAD OF THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION.
SO, UM, MEMBERS OF THE PARKS BOARD, UH, WE'RE COMING FORWARD TONIGHT WITH, UH, AN ITEM TO DISCUSS THE RENAMING OF, UH, THE BONEYARD AND GARLAND SKATE PARK, UH, IN RECOGNITION OF JOHN COMER.
UH, SO THE BACKGROUND ON THIS ITEM IS TO, UM, DISCUSS A RECENT REQUEST FROM, UH, BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO NAME THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SKATE PARK IN THE NAME OF JOHN COMER.
UH, JOHN COMER WAS A TRAILBLAZER AND ADAPT TO SKATEBOARDING, AND, UH, HE INSPIRED MANY SKATEBOARDERS, UH, DUE TO HIS REMARKABLE SKATEBOARDING SKILLS, DESPITE HAVING A PROSTHETIC LEG.
UM, SOCIAL MEDIA VI VIDEO WAS CREATED BY TONY HAWK, UH, PROFESSIONAL SKATEBOARDER CLOSE TO JOHN COMER, UH, URGING THE CITY OF GARLAND TO NAME THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SKATE PARK IN, UH, JOHN COMER'S NAME.
UH, THE, THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL, UH, HAS, UM, HEARD THE, UH, REQUEST FROM THE PUBLIC AND DESIRES TO GATHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON, UM, COMER'S CONNECTION TO THE CITY.
AND SO THIS ITEM IS BEING BROUGHT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FOR DISCUSSION, UH, ON THE COUNCIL'S REQUEST.
AND SO, UM, UH, SO TONIGHT, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF IS TO REQUEST THE PARK BOARD, UH, HELP GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT JOHN COMER AND HIS CONNECTION TO THE CITY OF GARLAND.
UM, I DID, UM, INCLUDE A LINK TO A NEWS ARTICLE THAT WAS, UM, PUBLISHED BY W F A A, UH, THAT HAS THE VIDEO THAT, UH, TONY HAWK, UM, DID PUT OUT, I BELIEVE, ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND I'LL PULL THAT UP IN JUST A MOMENT.
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HEY, GUYS, THIS IS TONY HAWK WITH A MESSAGE TO THE GARLAND COUNCIL, UM, ABOUT JOHN.LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET IT IN FULL SCREEN.
WELL, THAT'S NOT, NOT GONNA ALLOW ME TO DO THAT.
REMEMBER WHO I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SKATING WITH FOR ALMOST A DECADE, AND ACTUALLY SPONSORED, UH, ON MY TEAM BIRDHOUSE FOR A LITTLE BIT.
AND HE WAS TRULY AN INSPIRATION TO SKATERS.
HE, HE WAS AN AMAZING INDIVIDUAL, UM, AND A HUGE INSPIRATION TO ADAPTIVE ATHLETES, ESPECIALLY IN SKATING AND IN ACTION SPORTS.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE IN YOUR BEST INTEREST TO MEMORIALIZE HIS NAME, UM, IN ASSOCIATION WITH ASSOCIATION WITH THE SKATE PARK IN HIS HOMETOWN.
IT WOULD HELP SOLIDIFY HIS LEGACY, UM, AND IT WOULD BE AN INSPIRATION FOR OTHER SKATERS IN YEARS TO COME.
UM, HE WAS, LIKE I SAID, HE WAS AN INSPIRATION TO ME.
UH, I'M SO THANKFUL TO HAVE KNOWN HIM AND TO HONOR HIM IN HIS HOMETOWN OF GARLAND, TEXAS WOULD BE HUGE.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO, AND I PROMISE, UH, YOU'LL, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
AND, UM, HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY WILL THANK YOU FOR IT.
SO PLEASE KEEP HIS LEGACY ALIVE.
UH, THERE'S A, A FULL ARTICLE ON W F A A, UM, AND I, I CAN SHARE THIS LINK WITH YOU, UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO READ THE ARTICLE, THAT THOSE AND SEVERAL OTHER ARTICLES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE.
UM, SO, UM, JUST GOING BACK TO, UM, THE DISCUSSION, UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL OPTIONS THAT, UM, CAN BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD FOR, UM, A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL.
I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME TIME GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT JOHN COMER AND HIS CONNECTION TO THE CITY, UM, SO THAT, UH, THE PARKS BOARD, UH, CAN BE MADE AWARE OF, OF THE FULL STORY, AND THEN PROVIDE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
UH, WE'VE INCLUDED A FEW OPTIONS, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UH, NONE OF WHICH ARE, UM, FINAL OR FORMAL IN ANY WAY.
UH, THEY'RE JUST FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THEY CAN BE COMBINED OR EXCLUDED, UH, YOUR DISCRETION.
UH, ONE WOULD BE TO, UH, FORMALLY RENAME THE SKATE PARK, UM, FROM THE BONEYARD AND GARLAND, UH, TO A DIFFERENT NAME WITH, UH, UH, JOHN COMER, UH, MENTIONED.
UH, ANOTHER OPTION MIGHT BE TO, UM, UH, HOLD AN ANNUAL SKATEBOARDING COMPETITION, THE NAME OF JOHN COMER.
ANOTHER MIGHT BE TO, UH, DEDICATE THE SKATE PARK WITH THE PLAQUE IN THE NAME OF JOHN COMER.
UM, ANOTHER OPTION, UH, MIGHT BE TO, UM, COMMISSION A PUBLIC ART PIECE IN THE NAME, UH, IN HONOR OF JOHN COMER.
UH, SO THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS THAT, UM, ARE AVAILABLE, UH, FOR RECOMMENDATION AND CONSIDERATION.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS, MR. PARISH? SIR, DO WE HAVE A TIMEFRAME WHEN WE NEED TO GET BACK WITH COUNSEL? UH, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE'S, UH, THERE'S NO TIMELINE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS, HAS, UM, HAS ASKED FOR.
SO I THINK THAT THE, THE MAIN GOAL IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE WHOLE STORY AND A, UM, A THOROUGHLY, UM, THOUGHT OUT, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATION TO PRESENT TO THEM.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, WE GET THE STORY RIGHT, YOU KNOW? SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW.
AND, UH, WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, BRING FORWARD, NOT NOT JUST A RECOMMENDATION, BUT THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT SUPPORTS THAT RECOMMENDATION AND, UH, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN DELAYING IN ANY WAY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT SEEMS LIKE A REASONABLY GREAT THING TO DO, BUT, UH, JUST TO BE SURE THAT, THAT WE BRING THE, THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION ALONG WITH US AND INCLUDED IN THE CITY'S HISTORY, MIGHT WORK WITH THE LANDMARK MUSEUM ON THIS.
THAT'S, UH, THAT, THOSE ARE GOOD THOUGHTS TO GET US STARTED.
UH, ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR STATEMENTS TO MAKE ABOUT THIS FROM THE, THE BOARD? OKAY.
UH, I'D LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YES, YES.
OUR GUESTS THAT ARE HEARING THEIR NE THEIR NEXT STEP,
AND, UH, AND TO SECONDLY, TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL, UH, OF COURSE, THAT THAT RECOMMENDATION IS NOT BINDING UPON THE COUNCIL.
UH, IT IS A RECOMMENDATION, AND THEY, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT, THAT WOULD HAVE THE FINAL SAY SO IN THIS.
BUT WHAT, UH, WHAT WE WOULD HOPE TO DO IS, UM, WORK THROUGH THIS WHERE WE GIVE THEM SOMETHING THAT'S WRAPPED UP SO
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THAT WHAT COMES OUTTA HERE WILL BE VERY CLOSE TO WHAT WINDS UP IN THE END.SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPENING.
YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? UH, NO, SIR.
THAT'S, UH, THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CALL ON MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE THAT WE HAVE, UH, HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I'VE GOT SEVERAL HUNDRED CARDS HERE,
AND, AND, UH, WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU SHOWING UP THIS EVENING.
UH, THERE IS A, THERE'S A PROTOCOL FOR THIS.
UH, YOU'VE SIGNED, YOU'VE REGISTERED ON THE CARDS, AND YOU'VE PUT IN THERE WHETHER YOU'RE GONNA GIVE, WANT TO GIVE ORAL TESTIMONY OR WHETHER YOU ARE NOT TESTIFYING.
WHATEVER YOU PUT ON THE CARD, DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'VE CHANGED YOUR MIND AND, UH, AND I CALL YOU OUT AND SAY YOU HAD, UH, YOU WANT TO GIVE ORAL TESTIMONY AND YOU DECIDE THAT YOU DON'T, THAT IS OKAY.
YOU CAN STAND UP AND STILL SAY YOU SUPPORT, UH, SUPPORT, AND THEN SIT BACK DOWN.
UM, AND IF WE'VE GOT ON HERE THAT YOU'RE NOT TESTIFYING AND YOU DECIDE THAT YOU DO WANT TO TESTIFY, SAME THING.
SO THE ONLY THING THIS DOES IS GIVES ME A GUIDELINE TO GET STARTED.
AND SO, UM, ARE, YOU'RE ALSO GONNA COME UP HERE TO THE MICROPHONE.
BEFORE YOU START TALKING, GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, UM, SO THAT WE HAVE IT ON THE RECORD.
UH, WHO'S SPEAKING WHILE, BECAUSE THIS IS A, THIS IS A RECORDED, UH, MEETING.
AND YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO DO THAT.
OUR, OUR TIMEKEEPER OVER HERE HAS HIS, HAS HIS WATCH READY? NO.
HAS HIS, YEAH, HE'S GOT HIS EGG TIMER READY.
AND, UH, AND HE WILL, HE WILL GIVE US A SIGNAL WHEN YOU'VE GONE TO YOUR THREE MINUTES, AND, UH, WOULD ASK YOU TO WRAP UP IF YOU GET THERE AND YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE.
ARE WE READY, MR. CARTER? SIR, IF, IF, SINCE THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM, IF WE HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S PRESENTED BY ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS, MAY WE ASK A QUESTION? I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE TOTALLY APPROPRIATE.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT IS THE THING TO DO, BECAUSE THAT MAY HELP US TO GET A PIECE OF INFORMATION.
WE CERTAINLY WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT THEY, THAT THEY OPENED UP THAT WE WEREN'T AWARE OF.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION STARTING THIS.
UH, THE FIRST, UM, SPEAKER IS, UH, ROB COMER.
UH, HE WANTS TO GIVE ORAL TESTIMONY.
AND MR. COMER, YOU'RE UP FOR THREE MINUTES.
UM, I CURRENTLY RESIDE AT 1 2 35 BURWICK MANOR COURT.
I'M A RESIDENT OF SPRING, TEXAS.
CAN YOU JUST PULL THAT MICROPHONE JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER SO WE GET IT RECORDED WHILE WE CAN HEAR YOU, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THE, HELLO? YEAH, HELLO THERE.
WE HAVEN'T STARTED THE TIMER YET.
SO WE BOTH GREW UP IN GARLAND, UM, NEAR, UH, BELTLINE AND 30 JOHN ATTENDED TOLLER, UH, LYLES AND GRADUATED FROM LAKEVIEW.
HE, UH, WAS THROWN OVER BY A CAR IN THE ALLEY WHERE WE GREW UP.
AND THEN, UH, HIS AMPUTATION HAPPENED SOMETIME AFTER THAT.
THEY, THEY ACTUALLY TRIED TO SAVE HIS LEG.
UM, I MOVED, I MOVED ON, UH, TO LIVE WITH OUR, OUR DAD.
SO I DIDN'T GRADUATE, UM, HERE IN GARLAND.
SO TIME PERIOD OF OUR LIFE, WE, WE LIVED SO SOMEWHAT SEPARATE, BUT, UH, I KIND OF GOT HIM STARTED IN SKATEBOARDING AND, UH, HE TURNED OUT BETTER THAN ME
BUT SKATEBOARDING WAS ALWAYS HIS PASSION, ALWAYS BEING FROM TEXAS WAS ALWAYS
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HIS PASSION.AND, AND REALLY BEING FROM GARLAND, UM, HE STARTED HIS LIFE IN GARLAND.
HE, HE WAS A RESIDENT OF GARLAND WHEN HE PASSED.
I WOULD SAY, EVEN FOR MYSELF, I, I MOVED AWAY FROM GARLAND.
I ACTUALLY OWNED A BUSINESS HERE IN THE LATE NINETIES.
UH, IT WAS A TOY STORE AND WE HAD A, UH, A SKATE SHOP INSIDE THE TOY STORE WHERE HE AND I, HE AND I DESIGNED BOARDS AND SOLD THEM.
AND THEN WE SOLD BOARDS FROM OTHER COMPANIES.
UM, IT WAS, THAT WAS MORE MY, MY, MY CONTR CONTRIBUTION TO HIS, HIS LIFESTYLE AT THAT POINT.
UM, I, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA MAKE, UM, ANY OF THIS LIKE A FAMILY AGENDA FOR US, CUZ I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE HERE NOT RELATED THAT WOULD SPEAK TO WHO HE WAS AS A PERSON.
JOHN AS A PERSON PROBABLY WOULDN'T AGREE WITH ANY OF THIS
HE DIDN'T GET WHAT, WHAT HIS INFLUENCE WAS.
YOUR, YOUR, YOU'RE, YOUR THREE MINUTES IS UP, BUT, BUT, BUT OKAY.
UH, TELL US JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, HIS WORK WITH THE SCOTTISH RIO HOSPITAL AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD, UH, AMPUTATIONS IN THEIR LIFE.
DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT OR WOULD YOU HAVE RATHER HAVE SOMEONE ELSE TALK ABOUT I PROBABLY AM NOT THE BEST PERSON TO, TO GIVE YOU AN, A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION.
I THINK THERE'S PEOPLE HERE THAT, THAT COULD, THEY COULD.
UM, I, I, I MEAN, I AM, I DO TALK TO, AND I'M FACEBOOK FRIENDS WITH SOME OF HIS DOCTORS FROM SCOTTISH WRIGHT.
BUT THEY, I MEAN, FOR ME, UH, THAT IS A PART OF KIND OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LATER PART OF HIS LIFE WHERE YOU'VE GOT OTHER ADAPTIVE ATHLETES AND STUFF COMING OUT THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SHOWING THAT THEY'VE BEEN INFLUENCED BY HIM.
THERE ACTUALLY IS A SKATE CONTEST FOR HIM THAT STARTED LAST YEAR.
UM, SO, AND IT, AND IT'S ALL ADAPTIVE ATHLETES.
WELL, THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR, YOUR TESTIMONY.
AND I KNOW IT SEEMED A LOT EASIER SITTING OVER THERE THAN IT WAS WHEN YOU HAD TO SAY IT
MY NEXT CARD TO HAVE UP IS LOU LONGORIA, UH, WAS PUT DOWN NON TESTIFYING, BUT LOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK WHO'S CALLING? NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, SIR? LOU LONGORIA, UH, 1 0 2 NORTH, NO, YING, DALLAS, TEXAS.
UM, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED? OKAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME AGAIN? UH, ROB NAILED IT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY EMOTIONAL FOR THE FAMILY.
UH, I'M THE STEPFATHER THAT'S COMING TO THEIR FAMILY AND, UH, JOHN COMER'S WAS, UH, QUITE A SKATEBOARDER.
UH, HE WAS A GARLAND, UH, JEWEL HERE BECAUSE, UH, HE, HE JUST DID A LOT FOR, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND HE DID A LOT.
UM, BEING A MASON AND BEING HERE WITH THE HELLA SHRINE, WHICH YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH, I'M A MASON FROM THE EAST GRAND LODGE IN 1200.
UH, SO I'M A LITTLE BIT FAMILIAR WITH THE SCOTTISH WRIGHT AND, UH, AND WHAT THE MASONS HAVE DONE FOR HIM.
AND IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE SCOTTISH R YOU'LL SEE HE'S GOT HIS TROPHIES OUT THERE.
HE'S GOT HIS PICTURE, HE'S GOT EVERYTHING THAT, UH, THE SCOTTISH R HAS DONE FOR HIM.
AND HE IS AN INSPIRATIONAL PERSON.
HE INSPIRES THESE YOUNG KIDS COMING UP.
THEY WATCH HIM, THEY SEE HIM, THEY SEE HIM ON THE WALL UP THERE, AND THEY SAY, HEY, I WANT TO BE LIKE HIM BECAUSE I HAVE AMPUTEES, WHETHER IT'S AN ARM OR LEG.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY GET ENCOURAGED BY HIM.
SO IT IS EMOTIONAL FOR US CUZ IT'S FAMILY AND, UH, HE'S GONE.
PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER HIM AND THEY KNOW HIM.
YOU KNOW, HAWK WAS A GREAT LEADER FOR HIM AND HE EXCELLED VERY WELL WITH HIM.
I'LL LET THE REST OF THE GUYS THAT KNOW HIM REAL WELL, TELL 'EM ALL ABOUT YOU.
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THANK YOU.UH, NEXT CARD UP, UH, STEVEN OR RONDE.
AND, UH, CLOSER ADDRESS, PLEASE.
OH, UH, 14, 6 29 STRATFORD COURT.
ANYWAY, UM, I, UH, MOVED TO TEXAS AS QUICK AS I COULD.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM NORTH DAKOTA.
UM, AND, UH, I HAD JUST FINISHED UP SCHOOL FOR PROSTHETICS, UM, IN CHICAGO.
AND, UH, HAD LOOKED INTO A JOB, UH, THAT WAS KIND OF ON THE BULLETIN BOARD AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY IN CHICAGO, WHERE I WENT TO SCHOOL AND SAW AN AD FOR A JOB AT SCOTTISH WRIGHT HOSPITAL.
SO I LOOKED INTO IT, AND SURE ENOUGH, I WENT AHEAD AND GOT HIRED THERE.
INITIALLY I WAS HIRED AS AN ORTHOTIST, BUT THEN I, UH, DID MY FURTHER TRAINING IN, UH, THERE TO GET MY CERTIFICATION IN PROSTHETICS.
SO I DID JUST COME FROM WORK TODAY TOO.
SO I HAVE MY SCRUBS ON FROM WORK.
AND, UH, I FIRST WAS, HAD THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH JOHN COMER WHEN HE WAS 12 YEARS OLD.
HE'D ALREADY HAD A PROSTHESIS MADE BY ONE OF THE OTHER PRACTITIONERS AT SCOTTISH WRIGHT.
AND IT WAS A, UH, VERY LOW TECH, UH, KIND OF A VERY SIMPLE COMPONENTS TO HIS PROSTHESIS.
UH, EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T HIGH TECH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT DIDN'T KEEP HIM FROM EXCELLING AT SKATEBOARDING, HE WAS JUST A NATURAL, UH, WHEN IT CAME TO DOING THAT.
SO I CAN'T REALLY JUSTIFY THAT.
EVEN WHEN I GAVE HIM THE HIGH TECH, UH, PROSTHETIC COMPONENTS THAT WERE MADE OUT OF CARBON FIBER AND HAD THE, UH, BLADES AND ALL THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, JOHN WAS GONNA BE A GOOD SKATEBOARDER NO MATTER WHAT YOU PROVIDED FOR HIM.
AND THAT WAS WHAT MADE HIM UNIQUE.
AND, UH, I THINK HIS PERSONALITY WAS, UH, LIKE EVERYONE SAID BEFORE HERE, HE WAS A VERY HUMBLE GUY.
UM, I LOVE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, GO TO SOME OF HIS COMPETITIONS AND, AND WATCH HIM DOING THE SKATING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORKING AT THE HOSPITAL FOR 37 YEARS NOW, WHICH, UH, HAS BEEN QUITE AN EXPERIENCE AND WORKING IN THE PROSTHETIC DEPARTMENT.
AND THE THING I LOVE ABOUT MY JOB IS THE FEEDBACK THAT I GET FROM MY PATIENTS AND WHAT ABILITIES THEY HAVE AS AMPUTEES.
AND JOHN COMER WAS A INSPIRATION TO SO MANY OTHER KIDS AT THE HOSPITAL.
HE WOULD OFTEN COMES TO, WE USED TO HAVE A, UH, WELL, WE STILL HAVE THAT.
IT'S A PROSTHETIC AND LIMB SUPPORT GROUP THAT MEETS AT THE HOSPITAL ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND JOHN WOULD OFTEN COME AND SPEAK TO OTHER KIDS, YOU KNOW, AT THE, THE HOSPITAL, YOU KNOW, DURING THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD.
AND THAT WAS JUST REALLY INSPIRATIONAL.
AND, UM, ONE THING HE ORGANIZED, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE YEARS, HOW MANY YEARS AGO IT WAS, BUT, UM, UH, HE ORGANIZED THE THING TO, UM, CALLED THE ART OF SKATEBOARDING.
SO HE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT SKATERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY COME TO, YOU KNOW, SKATE, PAINT THE BOARDS WITH DIFFERENT ARTWORK, AND THEN WITH ALL THAT ARTWORK, THEY WOULD AUCTION OFF THESE, UH, SKATEBOARDS AND PEOPLE WOULD BID ON 'EM.
AND THE TWO YEARS THAT THEY HAD THAT, THAT JOHN HAD ORGANIZED, HE HAD ACTUALLY RAISED THE FIRST YEAR WAS ABOUT $40,000, WAS RAISED FROM THE AUCTION OF THOSE SKATEBOARDS TO THAT MONEY, WENT BACK TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE HE WAS SO APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT THE HOSPITAL PROVIDED FOR HIM AND CARE.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SECOND YEAR IT WAS SOMETHING SIMILAR
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TO THAT WHERE THEY ACTUALLY RAISED PROBABLY ANOTHER 40 OR 45,000, UH, AND THAT ALL WENT TO SUPPORT THE HOSPITAL AND THE WORK THAT WAS DONE.YOU, YOU'VE BEEN THREE MINUTES AND SO, OKAY.
AND WHAT GOES FAST, DOESN'T IT? YEP.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU AFTER SURE.
SEEING THE, THE VIDEO, UM, UH, THAT HE TENDED TO WEAR OUT A LOT OF LEGS, UH, JUST SHARE, BRIEFLY SHARE THAT WITH US.
AND I FOUND THAT VERY INTERESTING.
I, UM, WAS NEVER SURPRISED TO SEE JOHN COME TO OUR PROSTHETIC DEPARTMENT WITH A BROKEN BLADE, CARBON BLADE.
UM, AND, UH, WE WERE ALWAYS, UH, ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR BIG HELPERS THAT'S IN THE PROSTHETIC DEPARTMENT IS KNOWN AS DUCT TAPE
WE WOULD USE DUCT TAPE AND WRAP A LOT OF BROKEN PROSTHESIS, JUST WRAP IT WITH A WHOLE LOT OF DUCT TAPE TO HOLD IT TOGETHER UNTIL WE COULD ORDER A NEW FOOT FOR HIS PROSTHESIS.
SO THAT WAS ALWAYS, UH, SOMETHING WE WERE DOING ALL THE TIME.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DOCTOR THAT I WORK WITH, HE'S THE CHIEF OF STAFF AT SCOTTISH WRIGHT HOSPITAL.
UM, HE WOULD ALWAYS LOVED TO SEE JOHN COME IN WITH BROKEN DEVICES BECAUSE HE KNEW THEY WERE GETTING FULL USE OUT OF THE PROSTHESIS.
AND, UH, AMAZINGLY THIS CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, HIS CHIEF OF STAFF EMERITUS AT THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW IS 82 YEARS OF AGE.
AND, YOU KNOW, HE HAS NO INTENTIONS OF RETIRING
HE'S STILL WORKING THERE, SO, ALL RIGHT.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SPEAKER? ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU.
UM, GABRIEL COMER, UH, YOU'VE WRITTEN, NOT TESTIFYING, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO NOW? YES.
NAME, ADDRESS AND RELATIONSHIP TO JOHN? UH, MY NAME IS GABRIEL COMER.
UM, I LIVE IN, UH, ARLINGTON, TEXAS.
UH, MY ADDRESS IS 26 20 CRESS MOORE COURT.
UM, AND JOHN COMER WAS MY DAD.
UM, MAN, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START.
UM, HOW DID HE INFLUENCE YOU? HE, I MEAN, HE WAS MY DAD.
BUT, UM, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, HIS RELATIONSHIP TO GARLAND AND HIS RELATIONSHIP TO SKATEBOARDING, UH, SO WHEN MY PARENTS GOT A DIVORCE, UH, I WAS LIVING IN KELLER WITH MY MOM, WHO'S HERE AS WELL.
AND SO I WOULD SPEND EVERY OTHER WEEKEND HERE WITH HIM.
AND WE WOULD, EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND WE WOULD BE, WE WOULD GO AND SKATE, WE WOULD SKATE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIKE A A HUNDRED DIFFERENT PUBLIC PARKS IN, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, THE METROPLEX THAT WE WOULD GO TO.
AND WE'D, YOU KNOW, SKATE BASICALLY EVERYWHERE.
AND OUR ADDRESS HERE IN GARLAND, THE PLACE THAT HE LIVED, UH, WAS 2116 SUNNYBROOK, I THINK, WHICH IS JUST, IT'S LITERALLY LIKE THREE BLOCKS DOWN THE ROAD FROM, FROM WHERE THE PARK IS.
AND WE'VE JUST PASSED IT ON OUR WAY HERE.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT IF THAT PARK HAD BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WE WOULD'VE BEEN THERE, GOT EVERY SINGLE DAY WE WOULD'VE BEEN THERE NONSTOP.
UM, AND YEAH, I THINK, UM, LIKE ROB AND SOME OF THE OTHERS SAID, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I HOPE THAT THIS DOESN'T COME OFF AS LIKE SOME KIND OF VANITY PROJECT FOR OUR FAMILY OR SOMETHING, OR, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I, I AGREE THAT MY DAD WAS A REALLY HUMBLE PERSON AND I THINK THAT HE PROBABLY DIDN'T REALIZE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EFFECT THAT HE HAD ON SOME PEOPLE AND HOW INSPIRATIONAL HE WAS TO OTHERS, AND ESPECIALLY MYSELF.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS FOR GABRIEL? ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SO WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE SKATE PARK AND, UH, THAT YOU'VE BEEN TO YOU? YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY OURS,
I HAVEN'T BEEN TO YOURS YET, UNFORTUNATELY.
I, UH, I I'M NOT TOO MUCH OF A SKATER ANYMORE, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT, UM, HMM.
YOU GOT DOWN HIS LOVE OF BOOKS.
MY DAD READ TO ME NONSTOP WHEN I WAS A KID, AND THAT'S WHERE I'M
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AT.WELL, GABRIEL, THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
IT, IT SEEMS A LOT EASIER SITTING OVER THERE THAN IT IS WHEN YOU GET TO, IT DOES THE MICROPHONE.
AMY COMER, UH, DECIDED, NOT TESTIFYING, BUT OH, SHE CHANGED HER MIND.
UH, LIKE ROB SAID, AND LIKE GABE SAID, I CALLED GABE ACTUALLY THE OTHER NIGHT, AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOUR DAD WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INTO THIS.
HE WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHY? BUT HONESTLY, I MEAN, LIKE, I NEVER MET ANYONE THAT HAD A BAD THING TO SAY ABOUT JOHN EVER.
SUCH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON EVERYTHING WHEN WE WERE MARRIED, HE WOULD NEVER FIGHT WITH ME, EVER.
IT WAS, I DON'T CARE, WHATEVER.
HE'S JUST AN EASYGOING, AWESOME PERSON THAT LOVED SKATEBOARDING MORE THAN ANYTHING.
I MEAN, HE REALLY, REALLY DID.
AND HE INFLUENCED SO MANY KIDS WATCHING THE ADAPTIVE CONTEST THAT ROB BROUGHT UP.
THEY HAD ONE, THE FIRST ONE WAS, UM, LAST OCTOBER IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND, UH, IT WAS SO COOL JUST TO SEE ALL THE KIDS THERE WITH THE DIFFERENT, UM, YOU KNOW, AMPUTATIONS AND WHATEVER, DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, NOW I COME TO A POINT WHERE I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY BECAUSE I'M NERVOUS.
HOW ABOUT, DO YOU THINK HE WOULD, DO YOU THINK HE WAS A BIGGER INFLUENCE TO THE SKATEBOARDERS OR HE WAS A BIGGER INFLUENCE TO THOSE WHO HAD SPECIAL ISSUES OF AMPUTATIONS? BOTH B.
BECAUSE SKATEBOARDERS SAW IT AS HOW IN THE HECK IS HE DOING THAT WITH ONLY ONE FOOT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS, BECAUSE IT'S ALL MOVEMENT OF YOUR ANKLES.
AND THEN THE KIDS WITH, YOU KNOW, PROSTHESIS AND STUFF WERE LIKE, HOLY CRAP, I COULD PROBABLY DO THAT TOO.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE ELSE ON THE PANEL? I HAVE A QUESTION.
WE HAD IT, UH, PRESENTED TO US THAT HE HAD AT ONE TIME HAD ARTISTS COME IN, IN AND PAINT THIS, THE, UH, SKATEBOARDS FOR, UH, SALE AT AUCTION.
WAS ART SOMETHING THAT, UH, HE FELT A PASSION FOR? YES.
LIKE GABE SAID, WHEN WE WOULD TAKE A ROAD TRIP, HE WOULD READ AN ENTIRE BOOK OUT LOUD TO OUR FIVE YEAR OLD SON.
LIKE DOUGLAS ADAMS HITCHHIKER GUIDE.
WE WERE, WE WERE VERY YOUNG PARENTS.
HOW WOULD HE HAVE THOUGHT, IN YOUR OPINION ABOUT A WORK OF ART CELEBRATING HIM AND HIS LIFE? DEPENDS ON THE WORK.
I MEAN, I THINK HE WOULD THINK ANYTHING IS LIKE, WHY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP IT.
WHICH KIND OF MAKES US FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE KIND OF GUY WE WANT TO YES.
AND THIS IS, I'M HIS EX-WIFE AND I'M HERE SAYING THESE THINGS.
ANY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CIG? NONE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
OH, DO I GET TO ASK YOU YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE
UH, RYAN HALEY AT, UH, 1,117 VANDER GIFT DRIVE, CARROLLTON, TEXAS 75,006.
UM, I'LL KIND OF, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR, FOR HEARING US OUT IN THIS SITUATION.
WE'VE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I, UM, THE IDEA CAME ABOUT ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, AND WE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO SEVERAL PEOPLE, THEN COVID HIT, AND IT JUST KIND OF FELL OFF THE, FELL OFF THE MAP, AND WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE AND DIDN'T PICK UP THE BALL.
AND THEN BEFORE WE KNEW IT, THIS SKATE PARK WAS ROLLING
I'VE BEEN THERE SEVERAL TIMES MYSELF.
[00:35:01]
THE SKATEBOARDER I USED TO BE, BUT I, I TRY TO GET OUT THERE.I MEAN, JUST THE FACT THAT MY HOMETOWN HAS A SKATE PARK, YOU DON'T, THAT IS, IT IS AN EXCITING, EXCITING THING.
UM, JOHN IS SYNONYMOUS WITH GARLAND AND SKATEBOARDING.
UM, THERE ARE NAMES THAT COME UP, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE IN YOUR OWN LITTLE CIRCLES AND STUFF, YOU KNOW.
UM, BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TEXAS SKATEBOARDERS, WE GOT PEOPLE LIKE CRAIG JOHNSON, MIKE CRUM, UH, JEFF PHILLIPS, BUT JOHN COMER POPS UP IN THIS, HIS NAME.
HE WAS SO PROUD TO BE FROM GARLAND.
UM, I COULD SEE HERE ALL DAY AND TELL YOU ALL THE LITTLE SKATE SPOTS WE WENT TO.
WE DIDN'T, WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE CARS, WE WERE ROLLING MILES AND MILES AND MILES ALONG, DOWN BELT LINE GOING UP, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY THROUGH DUCK CREEK.
WE HAD ALL OUR LITTLE SKATE SPOTS THAT WE WENT TO.
UM, IT WAS, IT, IT WAS MEMORIES.
I CAN'T, UH, I CAN'T BEGIN TO, TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO ME.
AND I KNOW THEY MEANT TO JOHN.
AND AGAIN, HE'S A VERY HUMBLE, HUMBLE MAN.
HE WOULD HATE THE IDEA OF HAVING ANYTHING NAMED AFTER HIM, BUT I BELIEVE IT, IT WOULD BE AN AMAZING THING FOR, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE AN HONOR FOR GARLAND TO, TO NAME, UH, THE PARK AFTER HIM.
I, I, I TRULY, TRULY BELIEVE THAT.
UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT CAN COME ABOUT THAT ADAPTIVE SKATEBOARDING CONTEST AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
YOU KNOW, PR WE ALL LOVE PR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I JUST THINK THINGS OF THAT NATURE CAN BE BROUGHT UP AND, AND, UM, BROUGHT FORTH.
AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I WON'T TAKE UP ANY MORE OF, OF Y'ALL'S TIME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT GARLAND AND SKATEBOARDING AND JOHN COMER ARE ALL SYNONYMS. THEY'RE THE, THEY'RE THE, THEY'RE THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, THEY, THE, AND, UM, AND I, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S HEARING OF, OF US AND, AND CONSIDERATION OF, UH, OF NAMING THE PARK AFTER HIM.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE? SO GIVE US ONE REALLY GREAT MEMORY WITH JOHN, UH, ONE REALLY GREAT MEMORY WITH JOHN.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU SAY THIS IS BEING RECORDED? OH, YEAH, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING BAD IN HIS HISTORY.
BUT, UM, UH, THERE'S TWO, I MEAN, THERE'S, UH, WE GREW UP, WE WENT TO TOLLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UM, WHERE ME AND HIM BECAME FRIENDS IS WE WERE WALKING HOME ONE DAY, AND OUT OF NOWHERE SOMEONE SHOT A BLOW GUN, UH, A BLOW DART AT ME,
IT WENT THROUGH THREE OF MY BOOKS IN MY BOOK BAG.
AND, BUT JOHN WAS THE ONE THAT GRABBED ME AND TURNED ME.
AND, AND, AND, AND I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT THING WOULD'VE GONE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WOULD'VE ENDED UP IF, IF IT HAD HIT THE FRONT OF ME OR WHATNOT.
BUT IT, IT WAS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, HIM SORT OF, THAT, THAT'S WHEN, WHEN OUR FRIENDSHIP TRULY BEGAN.
CUZ WE WOULD ALL WALK HOME IN DIFFERENT GROUPS AT THAT TIME.
AND THEN, BUT THAT'S WHEN ME AND HIM STARTED TALKING AND HANGING OUT.
AND, UH, THAT, THAT, LIKE I SAID, THAT DIDN'T INVOLVE SKATEBOARDING, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST GOING BACK.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS IN THIRD GRADE, SO.
AND I'M, I'M 46 NOW, SO THANK YOU, SIR.
JOE COLLINS, NOT TESTIFYING STAYS THE SAME.
THANK, BUT YOU ARE IN FAVOR? YES, I AM IN FAVOR.
UH, SUSAN BLOCK OR BLACK IN FAVOR? UH, NOT TESTIFYING, BUT IN FAVOR.
UH, JESSICA LLOYD, UH, NOT TESTIFYING.
NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
UH, MY NAME IS JESSICA LLOYD, UH, 1 52 MONTEREY DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS.
UM, I AM NOT RELATED AT ALL TO THE COMER FAMILY.
I AM HERE AS SOMEONE WHO, UM, WAS VERY MUCH INSPIRED BY ROB.
I GREW UP DURING A TIME WITH A LOT OF KIDS IN THE, I GRADUATED IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
AND, UM, I KNEW A LOT OF KIDS THAT WERE NOT JUST INFLUENCED BY ROB, BUT, UM, IN AWE OF HIM.
AND, UH, I'M SORRY, JOHN ROB IS, UM, JOHN'S BROTHER, AND HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT ROB'S SHOP.
AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WERE GOING TO THAT SHOP VERY OFTEN.
IT WAS LIKE A SAFE HAVEN FOR THEM.
[00:40:02]
A LOT OF THOSE KIDS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SPENDING THEIR NIGHTS DOING A LOT OF DIFFERENT STUFF WERE INSTEAD BUILDING, UM, ALL KINDS OF SKATE RAMPS AND HALF PIPES, AND NOT HALF PIPES, BUT THINGS LIKE THAT IN THEIR BACKYARDS.AND, UM, IT MADE A HUGE MARK ON A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT JUST IN GARLAND.
I KNOW IT'S NOT EVEN IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT TONY HAWK, BUT HE'S, HE'S, UH, HE'S PRETTY UP THERE.
AND, UM, ROB WAS, I'M SORRY, JOHN WAS, UM, I'M, I'M NERVOUS.
SO I'M TRYING TO BE HERE AND, AND IN SUPPORT OF, OF HIM AND REPRESENT THOSE PEOPLE THAT HE INFLUENCED FROM GARLAND.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, UH, I MOVED AWAY FOR A WHILE.
I LIVED IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AND NEW YORK.
AND WHEN I WOULD SAY I WAS, YOU KNOW, I WAS FROM TEXAS OH, WHERE? OH, A TOWN CALLED GARLAND.
MAYBE YOU EVER HEARD OF IT? AND MORE THAN ONCE, I HEARD, OH YEAH, THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE JOHN COMER'S FROM, RIGHT.
SOMEONE SAID HE'S A JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF GARLAND.
YOU DID VERY GOOD FOR A NERVOUS PERSON,
UM, ANY ANY QUESTIONS? I HAD A QUESTION.
AND WHAT WAS THE NAME OF ROB'S SHOP? TOYS FROM THE CRYPT.
AND YOU SAY HE WAS RECOGNIZED AROUND THE WORLD? YEAH.
GIVE US JUST A, GIVE US ANOTHER 15 TO 30 SECONDS ON THAT.
I, I, I COULDN'T, I I JUST, I KNOW FOR SURE THAT HE HAD AN INDELIBLE EFFECT ACROSS MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S LIVES ACROSS THE WORLD AND AN AND IN THE UNITED STATES.
DID HE, DID HE COMPETE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES? UM, YES.
WHAT WAS, I BELIEVE THE ANSWER WAS YES,
YOU KNOW THE ROUTINE BY NOW,
UH, VICTOR NELSON, 8 0 6 BANDA LANE, GARLAND, TEXAS.
UM, I SAID BEFORE YOU AS ONE OF THE KIDS THAT JOHN INSPIRED, I GREW UP SKATEBOARDING IN NORTH TEXAS.
UM, I'M NOW THE OWNER AND OR ONE OF THE OWNERS AND THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR FOR ACTION PARK ALLIANCE.
I'M A MEMBER OF TEAM USA SKATEBOARDING'S PARALYMPIC SUBCOMMITTEE, AND I'M ALSO THE PRODUCER OF THE JOHN COMMER MEMORIAL SKATE JAM.
UH, WE KICKED THAT OFF BACK IN 2021 AT MY HOME PARK IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
UH, WE MOVED IT TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO ONE OF MY OTHER FACILITIES LAST YEAR IN DECEMBER.
AND THE GOAL IS TO BRING IT BACK HERE TO TEXAS THIS YEAR, GIVEN THE, UH, APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF, UH, SUPPORT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB BUILDING THE PARK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.
IT IS, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT SKATE PARKS, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, IT'S ONE OF THE BEST SKATE PARKS I'VE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY IN THE COUNTRY, IF NOT THE WORLD.
AND IT'S JUST AMAZING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, AN AN AMENITY LIKE THIS FOR THE CITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, I FEEL LIKE A MONUMENTAL OPPORTUNITY WAS MISSED WITH THE NAMING OF THE SKATE PARK.
YOU KNOW, SEEING BACK ON SOME OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL AND PARK BOARD DISCUSSIONS, OBVIOUSLY THERE WASN'T A LOT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THE NAMING OF THE PARK.
AND GIVEN THE PETITION, I THINK IF THAT EFFORT WAS MADE, YOU'D SEE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE VOICING THAT SUPPORT TO SEE THIS PARK BEING NAMED AFTER JOHN.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS AS IT SHOULD BE, AND SEEING THAT, HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE AROUND THE WORLD PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN DOING ADAPTIVE EVENTS SINCE 2014, WHICH IS REALLY, UH, A UNIQUE THING BECAUSE I GREW UP WITH JOHN COMER BEING A PERSON THAT JUDGED THE CONTEST THAT I PARTICIPATED IN, AND HE MANAGED THE SKATE PARKS THAT I WOULD FREQUENT.
AND TO HAVE THAT GO, GO FORTH FULL CIRCLE.
UM, SOME OF THE FIRST ADAPTIVE CONTESTS THAT I HOSTED AND PRODUCED, HE WAS COM COMPETING AT AND LED ME TO MEET SOME OF THE BEST PEOPLE THAT I KNOW TODAY THAT I WORK WITH IN THE ADAPTIVE SPACE, WHICH HAS GROWN FAR BEYOND SKATEBOARDING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE AWARE, BUT THERE'S NOW KIDS IN WHEELCHAIRS IN ALL KINDS OF DISABILITIES THAT ARE NOW PARTICIPATING IN SKATEBOARDING BECAUSE OF JOHN AND IN SKATE PARKS.
AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS CAN GET TRACED BACK TO HIM.
I MEAN, THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE, WE'VE POSTED PEOPLE FROM OVER 12
[00:45:01]
DIFFERENT CO COUNTRIES, BRAZIL, SWITZERLAND, UK, GERMANY.I MEAN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BECOME A WORLDWIDE THING.
AND IT ALL GOES BACK TO JOHN BEING THE FIRST TO GAIN NOTORIETY IN THIS SPACE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TRYING TO TALK TOO FAST.
I'M NERVOUS,
IT WOULD SAY A LOT FOR ADAPTIVE SKATEBOARDING.
AND I THINK THERE'S INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING THIS EVENT TO GARLAND, TO BRING OTHER EVENTS TO GARLAND.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST RIGHT NOW BEHIND GETTING ADAPTIVE SKATEBOARDING INTO THE PARALYMPICS.
THE COMMITTEE WAS FORMED JUST THIS LAST DECEMBER IN VISTA, CALIFORNIA.
AND I KNOW THAT THE DISCUSSIONS ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW TO CREATE THAT PATHWAY.
SO THIS COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO BEING SOMETHING THAT COULD BE A PARALYMPIC SANCTIONED EVENT TO QUALIFY FOR TEAM USA.
HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE TO HAPPEN HERE IN GARLAND? UM, ANYWAYS, IN A NUTSHELL, THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.
BUT JOHN HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON MY LIFE.
ADAPTIVE SKATEBOARDING AND WCMX.
THE WHEELCHAIR SKATING SPORTS HAVE BECOME MY PASSIONATE PROJECT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I LOVE TO DO AND NATURALLY HAS JUST BECOME A PART OF SOMETHING IN THE SKATE PARK.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS CONSIDER RENAMING THE BONEYARD SKATE PARK, THE JOHN COMMER MEMORIAL SKATE PARK.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE I'VE GOT, I'VE GOT A QUESTION.
SO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU, UM, PRODUCED OR HELPED PRODUCE MM-HMM.
WHAT WAS THE, UM, HOW MANY PARTICIPANTS DID YOU HAVE EACH YEAR? AND THEN ALSO HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU THINK PARTICIPANTS AND SPECTATORS, UM, ATTENDED THE EVENT? YEAH.
THE, THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD WITHIN A COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE IN SPECTATING, UM, WE PROBABLY HAD A GOOD 20 TO 30, UH, PARTICIPANTS, WHICH WAS MIXED BETWEEN, EXCUSE ME, MIXED BETWEEN, UM, ADAPTIVE SKATEBOARDING AND WHEELCHAIR ATHLETES.
AND THEN WE ALSO INCLUDED ABLE-BODIED ATHLETES BECAUSE JOHN PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMAL DIVISIONS.
THERE WAS NO ADAPTIVE DIVISIONS WHEN HE BECAME KNOWN.
AND TO CREATE THAT ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE THE SPACE IS, I THINK WHAT REALLY RESONATES.
BECAUSE THE AMAZING THING ABOUT SKATE PARK IS IT DOESN'T MATTER YOUR ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, YOUR RACE, WHERE YOU'RE FROM, WHO YOU ARE, YOUR SKILLSET.
IT'S A SPACE THAT YOU CAN ALL SHARE AND HAVE COMRADERY.
AND BRINGING ADAPTIVE AND WHEELCHAIRS INTO THAT SPACE REALLY TAKES THAT EVEN A STEP FURTHER.
AND I THINK TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT AND HAVING A CITY THAT SHOWS THAT SUPPORT IS HUGE.
JUST ONE, ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.
THE LAST FOUR NUMBERS IN YOUR PHONE.
NUMBER ONE SEVEN ZERO FOUR ONE SEVEN NINETY ONE SEVEN NINETY ONE.
DENNY COLLINS, UH, NOT TESTIFYING DENNY? YEAH, NOT TESTIFYING.
MS. COLLINS, YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANNA SPEAK? UM, I'LL SEE.
WELL, MAYBE WE'D LIKE, LIKE TO HEAR THAT.
AND, UM, MY ADDRESS IS 1 0 2 NORTH EWING DALLAS.
AND, UM, I MEAN, EVERYBODY'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF KIND OF SAYING WHO JOHN WAS AS A SKATER.
UM, I I JUST THOUGHT OF A FUNNY THING WHILE I WAS SITTING THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF STEVE REMEMBERS THIS OR IF STEVE ACTUALLY MADE THE ARTIFICIAL LEG, BUT JOHN HAD QUITE A FASHION SENSE, AND ONE OF HIS ARTIFICIAL LEGS WAS DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE AN ARGYLE SOCK.
AND, UM, A FEW WEEKS AGO, SOMEBODY POSTED ON ROBBY'S FACEBOOK THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THE ONE OF JOHN COMER'S ORIGINAL SKATEBOARDS.
AND I JUST MADE A NOTE THAT, UM, HIS MOM ALSO IS LOOKING FOR ONE, BECAUSE SOMEHOW I WOUND UP WITHOUT ONE OF HIS SKATEBOARDS.
AND I GOT A BOX IN THE MAIL LAST WEEK, AND ONE OF HIS SKATEBOARD FRIENDS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAD SENT ME ONE OF JOHN'S SKATEBOARDS.
AND IT, IT SHOWED WHERE JOHN HAD SIGNED IT START.
JOHN WAS A REALLY MESSY WRITER, AND HE HAD STARTED TO SIGN IT, AND THEN HE WROTE, OOPS, I MESSED UP
AND THEN, AND THEN JOHN COMER, BUT ALSO IN THE BOX WAS, UM, WHEN JOHN WAS IN LIKE THE FOURTH GRADE, THEY HAD TO DO A PAPER MACHE PROJECT.
AND JOHN'S PROJECT WAS, HE MADE A PAPER MACHE ARTIFICIAL LEG, AND HE DECORATED IT WITH AN
[00:50:01]
ARGYLE SOCK ON IT.AND SO THIS FRIEND OF HIS STILL HAD THAT LEG AND SENT ME THAT LEG IN THE BOX.
IT WAS TERRIBLY FADED, BUT IT IS NOW HANGING ON THE WALL IN OUR GAME ROOM RIGHT NEXT TO THE SKATEBOARD THAT JOHN MESSED UP SIGNING
WAIT A MINUTE, DON'T PUSH OFF.
I UNDERSTAND THAT HE HAD A HABIT FROM TIME TO TIME, UH, BECAUSE PEOPLE, IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW, THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT HE WAS, UM, SKATING ON IT WITH AN ARTIFICIAL LEG.
AND FROM TIME TO TIME, SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, THAT LEG WOULD HAPPEN TO FALL OFF AND WOULD TYPICALLY GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN.
SO IT WAS, I GOT A CALL TO COME TO THE OFFICE BECAUSE YOUR SON BROKE HIS LEG.
I'M FOR, AND I'M NOT TESTING, ARE YOU? DID YOU SAY CHRIS OR MISS? I SAID CHRIS.
UH, SO MY NAME IS CHRIS JEFFERS, RESIDE AT 8 29 EAST DARDY, UH, DRIVE, GARLAND, TEXAS 75,041.
UM, I'M ACTUALLY HERE WITH MY MOTHER, UH, REPRESENTING BOTH OF US.
MY RELATION TO JOHN IS, UM, I STARTED SKATING IN 1988, AND IT, UH, A COUPLE YEARS LATER I MET JOHN.
UH, WE BECAME REALLY GOOD FRIENDS, STARTED SKATING A LOT TOGETHER AND FILMING TOGETHER.
AND, UM, WE, WE JUST, UM, YEAH, WE, WE WENT FROM THERE.
UH, REAL QUICK, UH, TODAY I POSTED, UH, UH, SOME, SOME FILM FROM 1992, AND JOHN AND I WERE SKATING IN GARLAND TOGETHER.
IF Y'ALL HAPPEN TO PULL IT UP, PLEASE DON'T HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR SKATING AT NORTH ROBIN HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT WAS MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO.
I'M SURE Y'ALL PAINTED IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN,
UH, BUT JUST THE IMPACT OF JOHN, MY MOM, WHO'S WITH US.
SHE ACTUALLY TOOK US THERE AND FILMED THAT CLIP, SO SHE'S CULPABLE AS WELL.
UM, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, UM, WHEN I THINK OF THE WORD BONEYARD, WHICH IS WHAT THE PARK IS CURRENTLY NAMED, UH, I THINK OF A CEMETERY.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, I THINK OF THE DESERTS IN THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES WHERE AIRPLANES NO LONGER IN SERVICE ARE TAKEN TO LIVE OUT THEIR FINAL DAYS WHERE THEY LAY LIFELESS ONLY BEING USED FOR SPARE PARTS.
THIS IS IN TOTAL CONTRADICTION TO WHAT SKATEBOARDING ALONG WITH OTHER ROLLER SPORTS IS ABOUT.
SKATEBOARDING AMONGST SO MANY OTHER THINGS IS ABOUT THE FREEDOM TO LIVE LIFE, HAVE FUN AND RISE TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES.
THESE ARE PRINCIPLES THAT JOHN JOHN COMER SKATED BY AND THROUGH SKATEBOARDING, JOHN LIVED IN THE EARLY 1990S.
JOHN WAS ENTERING COMPETITIONS, NOT JUST LOCAL COMPETITIONS, BUT CONTESTS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
DURING THIS TIME, JOHN WAS COMPETING AGAINST THE PROS OF TOMORROW.
THERE WAS NO SPECIAL DIVISION HE SKATED WITH AND AGAINST THE BEST, NOT ONLY THROUGH HIS SKATING, BUT THROUGH HIS PER PERSISTENCE TO SKATE AT THE LEVEL NEEDED, OVERCOMING CHALLENGES THAT MOST OF US HAVE NEVER HAD TO ENDURE.
ALONG WITH THE PERSONALITY THAT MADE, MADE ANYONE.
JOHN WOULD LATER BE TURNED PRO.
JOHN THEN WENT ON TO COMPETE IN CONTEST AND DO DEMOS AROUND THE WORLD.
THIS WAS ALL PRE-SOCIAL MEDIA AND, AND YOUTUBE.
WITHIN TIME, MORE PEOPLE WOULD SEE JOHN SKATE AND LEARN THAT HE WAS SKATING WITH THE PROSTHETIC LEG SOMETHING.
UNTIL THEN, THAT WAS UNHEARD OF IN SKATEBOARDING FROM THEN ON, SKATEBOARDING STARTED TO SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WHO, THOUGH THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD USE OF ALL THEIR FACILITIES, THEY WANTED TO BE THEIR OWN PERSON AND DO SOMETHING FUN, CHALLENGING AND REWARDING.
FAST FORWARD TO 2021, UH, SKATEBOARDING WAS IN THE OLYMPICS FOR THE FIRST TIME ONLY.
NOW THE WORLD OF WHAT WOULD BECOME KNOWN AS ADAPTIVE SKATEBOARDING WAS LARGELY AS KNOWN TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD COMPETE IN THAT SPECIFIC DIVISION.
I DON'T KNOW OF ANY COMPETITOR WHO COMPETED IN THE ADAPTIVE SKATEBOARDING DIVISION OF THE OLYMPICS, WHO HASN'T BEEN INFLUENCED BY JOHN.
THIS IS WHY I BELIEVE THE SKATE PARK IN GARLANDS SHOULD BE RENAMED TO JOHN COMER MEMORIAL SKATE PARK.
IN HONOR OF JOHN TO HEAR AND SEE HIS NAME FOR MYSELF, I'M IMMEDIATELY REMINDED OF THE PERSEVERANCE I SAW JOHN DEMONSTRATE WHEN HE TOOK THE HARDEST FALLS IS WHEN HE WOULD GET BACK UP THE QUICKEST TO GIVE THE TRICK HE WAS TRYING ANOTHER GO, ALWAYS RISING UP TO THE CHALLENGE, OVERCOMING EVERY OBSTACLE.
THUS, I ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO FORMALLY RECOGNIZE AND RENAME THE PARK IN JOHN'S OWNER.
SO NOT ONLY I, BUT EVERYONE WHO COMES TO THE PARK AND SEES THE NAME CAN LEARN.
JOHN WAS THE SON OF GARLAND WHO EXUDED SUCH POSITIVE TRAITS, AND IN TURN, VISITORS BE INSPIRED TO PRACTICE THESE TRAITS AS WELL FOR THE CITY.
IT'S A GREAT SHOW OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT SOMEONE SO EXTRAORDINARY AND INFLUENTIAL
[00:55:01]
WAS A PROUD SON OF GARLAND.IN ADDITION, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, IN 2021, A MEMORIAL EVENT DEDICATED JOHN TO JOHN, SHOWCASING THE SKATING OF ADAPTIVE SKATES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, WAS HELD AT ALLIANCE SKATE PARK IN GRAND PRIX.
IT WOULD ONLY BE FITTING TO SEE THIS EVENT IN JOHN'S HOMETOWN AND AT A SKATE PARK THAT WAS BUILT WHILE THE COUNTRY ITSELF WAS FACING ITS OWN GREATEST CHALLENGE OR ONE OF ITS OWN GREATEST CHALLENGES.
I ENCOURAGE A AND ALL INVOLVED TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SKATE COMMUNITY AND ALLOW US SKATERS TO SHOW THROUGH JOHN'S INSPIRATION AND OVERCOMING OBSTACLES THAT WE TOO ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE.
AND WE WILL RISE TO BRING THE NAME CHANGE TO FRUITION.
IN CLOSING, RENAMING THE PARK, THE JOHN COMER MEMORIAL SKATE PARK IS WIN FOR EVERYONE, THE CITY, THE SKATERS OF TODAY, AND FOR THE FUTURE VISITORS OF THE PARK.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY, NONE.
ANTHONY LORO, DO I REALLY HAVE TO GO AFTER HIM?
I KNOW I WROTE IT, SO IT'S KIND OF IRONIC, I GUESS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME PROPERLY? THREE MINUTES GO.
UH, SO MY NAME IS ANTHONY LORO.
UH, I RESIDE AT 32 0 6 NINTH STREET IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
UM, I MOVED TO TEXAS IN 1992, AND, UH, SHORTLY THEREAFTER I MET JOHN COMER.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, EVERY, EVERY BEST FRIEND I HAVE, I HAVE FROM THE SKATEBOARDING, AND I'M, YOU KNOW, GOSH, I'M GONNA BE 46 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR.
SO, UM, JUST LIKE WHAT SKATEBOARDING, UM, MEANS TO ME, YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT MEANT TO, TO JOHN COMER, THIS PERSON WHO, UH, GOSH, I LITERALLY TOLD MYSELF I WASN'T GONNA CRY, AND NOW I'M JUST
UH, BUT, UH, IT'S, IT'S REALLY CLEAR THAT JOHN WAS AN INSPIRATION.
UM, WHEN I FIRST MET JOHN, UH, HE WAS SKATING WITH TWO OTHER FRIENDS, AND WE WERE SKATING DOWN THESE SEVEN STAIRS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HE WAS TRYING A TRICK DOWN THESE STAIRS, AND WE, YOU KNOW, I WAS KIND OF JUST BARELY GETTING THE, THE NERVE TO RIDE DOWN THEM.
UH, BUT HE WAS DOING THESE FLIP TRICKS AND KIND OF GOING CRAZY AND GOING DOWN THE HANDRAIL.
UM, AND THEN HE FELL REALLY HARD AND HIS LIKE, FOOT CAME OFF
AND I WAS LIKE, THIS GUY'S HARDCORE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THE TIME THAT HE HAD A PROSTHETIC.
SO THAT WAS ONE, ONE OF THE MANY, UH, AMAZING MOMENTS WHERE YOU KIND OF REALIZE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STORIES ABOUT, UH, LIKE DAN GABLE WINNING THE GOLD IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN WRESTLING IN THE OLYMPICS.
AND KENNY MONDAY, THE GUY WHO GOT SILVER, HE WAS KIND OF LIKE NURSING HIS WOUNDS, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT MORNING.
AND HE'S THERE KIND OF EATING BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL.
AND DAN GABLE GETS UP AND HE, YOU KNOW, UH, KENNY MONDAY LOOKS OUT THE WINDOW AND DAN GABLE'S RUNNING, UH, TRAINING FOR THE NEXT THING.
THAT'S THE KIND OF PERSON JOHN WAS.
UH, AND HE WAS A, UM, MORE THAN JUST BEING A GREAT SKATEBOARDER, HE WAS AN AWESOME FRIEND.
UH, I REMEMBER GOING, YOU KNOW, YEARS AT A TIME, UH, OUR, OUR KIDS, UH, OUR FIRST SONS WERE BORN, UH, IN THE SAME YEAR, 1997.
AND, UM, WE USED TO HANG OUT A LOT WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG.
AND, UH, I JUST REMEMBER EVERYWHERE WE'D GO, UM, SKATEBOARDING, EVERYONE'S LIKE, HEY, WHERE ARE YOU FROM? UH, AND EVENTUALLY LATER ON IN THE YEARS, HE'D SAY, DALLAS, TEXAS, CUZ PEOPLE WERE LIKE, WHERE'S GARLAND? BUT HE WOULD ALWAYS SAY, GARLAND, TEXAS.
AND JUST THE IDEA OF JOHN, YOU KNOW, NOT WANTING ACCOLADES OR HONORS, UH, IT WAS ALMOST COOL FOR HIM TO SAY GARLAND, TEXAS, CUZ NOBODY'S EVER HEARD OF IT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IF HE WAS STILL HERE TODAY, HE WOULD, HE WOULD DEFINITELY SAY HE'S FROM GARLAND, TEXAS, AND HE'D BE REALLY PROUD TO, UH, TO SAY THAT THAT.
BUT, UM, I GUESS THE POINT I WANNA MAKE IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE WE'LL LOOK BACK AND WE'LL SAY ALL THESE FAMOUS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S RECORDS OF WHERE THEY'RE BORN AND WHERE THEY COME FROM.
JACKIE ROBINSON WAS BORN IN CAIRO, GEORGIA.
TONY HAWK WAS BORN IN CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA.
JACK DEMPSEY WAS BORN IN MANASSA, COLORADO, AND JOHN KUMER WAS BORN IN GARLAND, TEXAS.
AND I THINK, UH, THE, THE CITY WOULD, WOULD, UH, WOULD DO A GOOD THING BY HONORING HIM, UH, AT THE SKATE PARK.
AND, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE, UH, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO BE ABLE TO KNOW, UM,
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THAT GARLAND, TEXAS, UH, WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE HIM.UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF THE SPEAKER? UM, LET ME MAKE SURE THESE, THESE THINGS ARE ACCURATE.
I'LL GET A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE THAT I, THAT I FOUND ON, UH, INTERNET ABOUT HIM.
UH, HE WAS THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL SKATEBOARDER WITH A PROSTHETIC LIMB DOING IT DUE TO AN AMPUTATED LOWER LEG, AND WAS REGARDED AS THE GODFATHER OF ADAPTIVE SKATEBOARDING.
HE WAS FEATURED IN THE AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENT, DOCUMENTARY, NEVER BEEN DONE.
UH, IN THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES, HE DOMINATED SKATEBOARD COMPETITIONS.
HE WON 73 TITLES AND WAS NAMED THE TOP VERT SKATER EVERY YEAR FROM 1984 TO 1996.
HE ALSO INVENTED DOZENS OF MOVES, INCLUDING THINGS THAT WE WOULD ALL KNOW, UH, THE OIE TO INDY, THE GYMNAST PLANT, THE FRONT SIDE, FIVE 40 RODEO FLIP, AND THE SARANT WRAP.
JUST RIGHT THERE IN, YEAH, I, JUST, REAL QUICK, SINCE I STOPPED A LITTLE BIT EARLY, UM, UH, AMY, ROB, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER THIS, BUT THERE WAS A SKATE CONTEST AND TONY HAWK'S TEAM CAME DOWN.
I THINK IT WAS IN ROCKWALL, I WANNA SAY, OR WAS IT SIX FLAGS? I DON'T, I FORGET.
WELL, THE STORY IS, I'M STANDING THERE WITH MY WIFE, UH, UP AGAINST THE WALL WATCHING THE SKATERS GO BY.
UM, AND I HAD PREVIOUSLY MET TONY HAWK THROUGH JOHN, UH, AND TONY HAWK GOES BY AND MY WIFE'S LIKE, OH MY GOSH.
AND HE GOES, HE GOES, HEY, YOU'RE JOHN'S FRIEND, AREN'T YOU? AND TO THIS DAY, I TELL THAT STORY, LITERALLY, PEOPLE ARE LIKE, MY DAD.
MY KIDS GO, MY DAD KNOWS TONY HAWK
NEXT, MARK REED, UM, ORAL TESTIMONY.
AND YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T GONNA TALK.
I LIVE AT 36 19 GLENBROOK COURT IN GARLAND.
WE GREW UP, UH, IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD WITH, UH, DENNY AND, AND JOHN AND ROBBIE, UH, MY SON, UH, OUR SON, UH, WAS FRIENDS WITH JOHN.