Our deepest sympathies to Don Hartley’s family and friends. CBC posted this tragic skateboarding incident that claimed the life of Don Hartley ‘Mad Carver’. This incident reiterates that one negligent act can claim a life. One spur of the moment decision can result in tragedy. Whether a professional or a novice – the fact remains the same. And as Hartley’s friend put it: “It just goes to show you, you just never know. You’ve always got to put your safety equipment on, and I hope, if there’s any last lesson to be learned, any last lesson from Don, this is it.”
Friends mourn pillar of skateboarding community
Last Updated: Thursday, July 9, 2009 | 6:28 PM PT
CBC News
Friend Kevin Kelly says Hartley was a trailblazer whose skating was beautiful. (CBC)
The Lower Mainland’s skateboarding community is mourning a legendary boarder who died after a fall on Canada Day.
Don Hartley, known as Mad Carver to generations of boarders, died of head injuries sustained after falling at Seylynn Skateboard Park in North Vancouver.
Longtime friend Wee Wong said Hartley, 52, usually wore a helmet, but didn’t on the day he fell.
“It just goes to show you, you just never know. You’ve always got to put your safety equipment on, and I hope, if there’s any last lesson to be learned, any last lesson from Don, this is it,” Wong said.
Friend Kevin Kelly was there the day Hartley fell.
“Any sport or art or music or anything sort of has its living legends and stuff like that, and he would have been one of those guys. He was a trailblazer … in many ways and a positive influence and an amazing skateboarder,” Kelly said.
Don Hartley died on Canada Day after a fall at the popular Seylynn Skateboard Park in North Vancouver, B.C. (CBC)
”The day it happened, I thought it was weird that I never actually went over and said ‘Hi’ to him just because every time I wanted to go do that, he was skating, and I remember consciously sitting back in my folding chair and thinking I just want to sit here and watch him skate ’cause it’s beautiful.”
Hartley had been a pillar of the skateboarding community since the 1970s.
His death has sparked pages of tributes on the social networking website Facebook, as well as plans for memorial T-shirts and skateboards.
Friends are planning a memorial to be held in August.
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This posting is just so disrespectful and wrong. When someone dies accidentally their life and their untimely passing should not be used as a “moral tale” or example of preventable death by injury without the express consent of their family and loved ones. Where is your compassion?
Let this man rest in peace and remove this post before the people that loved him read it.
Don Hartley’s death is indeed tragic, however it’s dangerous to just label it an accident and forget about it. While his fall may have been accidental, his death is not, and that’s the important message that must be shared from this sad story.
Don was a big proponent of wearing helmets most of the time, however he didn’t wear one when he fell and died. His death wasn’t because he fell down, I’d wager that over his extensive skateboarding career he’s fallen down numerous times, but rather due to his making the mistake of not strapping on his helmet on that fateful ride. And that’s an important message to share with the BC community, don’t you think: It only takes one ride without a helmet, even after 30+ years of riding, for things to end tragically.
If this message is learned by just one young skateboarder (or cyclist) out there, then Don’s death, while no less painful to his family and friends, will be the tiniest bit less tragic and give a little bit of meaning to what is a senseless ‘accident’.
I’m also upset, but not at the previous post. I’m upset that you (and likely many others) are completely missing the point of the VERY SITE that this story resides on. My very deepest sympathies go out to Don Hartley’s friends and family, however, I am fairly sure that they would be the FIRST ONES to stand up and agree with the post below. If one life can be saved by using Mr. Hartley’s tragic death as a “moral tale”, then he will not have died in vain.
The reason why Don wore a helmet most of the times and was a big proponent of it is because he knew the reason why it was so important…….it saves lives!!! Unfortunately, we’ve all made mistakes like this before where we either wear helmets most of the times and just forgot to one day, or wear a seatbelt on long drives but not for short ones. It’s the times when we least expect it is when it happens and that’s when it hurts us the most. I’ve had friends go through windshields just because they didn’t wear their belt or scraped their heads one the one day they didn’t wear the helmet. All it takes is that ONE time. What Don’s life should teach us is that there should NEVER EVER be that one time, when we shouldn’t take ours and lives of others seriously!
Let us work together to improve all aspects of safety in action sports. The skateboarding community has areas to work on. At Bcskateboarding.org we are advocating safety and education. If everyone involved in the sport models safe skateboarding then injuries are likely to be reduced, and don’t think we would be speaking ill of this platform.
Regards,
Ty Smith
Co-founder
http://www.bcskateboarding.org
I agree with the first post, it is waaaaay too soon to post this on this website. Let him rest in peace. Yes, there is a lesson here about safety, helmets, etc. (no one is disputing that) but now is NOT the time. Many skateboards lost a friend, mentor and athlete that day and to turn it into a “lesson” is just insulting and cruel. Maybe in 6-12 months but NOT NOW.
If you dont wear your safety equipment you deserve to be injured or die. Stupidity puts a strain on our health care system.
Ignorance puts more of a strain on our nation than anything else.
He is my good friend, I love him, I miss him.
This post is in bad taste.
You all have so many opinions and tales and wisdom to offer – well go offer it to someone else.
We do not require your safety tips thank you very much.
We live fast, we skate faster. We know the risks we take.
Do not preach safety and use my friend as an example.
Just shut up and skate – it’s what he did, and you loved him for it.