Andy Kessler R.I.P.

[acejoe]

  im so mad.im pissed i cant believe that andy kessler is gone.rip homey...
i guess he was stung by a wasp & had an allergic reaction & passed away earlier today...f#*%!!!
much love & RAspect always...you'll truely be missed...luvu kess

[mdorottya]

Hi,

I am independent producer in NY. I made a short film with Andy two years ago.
You can watch the film:
www.youtube.com/mdorothy
click on "Grandmaster of 108"

[ecsurfer]

Yes, it is true andy passed at 6:36 pm in montauk on his way to the hospital. His friends out here are devastated.

[wave163]

Kessler is gone, long live the king.  Those of us who knew him since the 70s will all be sad.  Who could you love more than this bitter old guy.  He was one of the few people I ever trusted in this world.  He was up in Montauk and just had a freak thing with a bee (or wasp) sting.
Stay posted for memorial service.  You know its going to be big.  This guy was the west coast east coast carribean coast surf skate build destroy most chill forever.
You will be missed.

[dubstar]

I heard that Andy took Harry Jumanji out with him to Montauk this weekend; perhaps that's why he was still there on Monday, instead of coming back to NYC on Sunday evening. Andy has done a lot for Harry in recent years...if anyone knows how to get in touch with Harry, please do so, as I feel he is probably in need of some support right now...although I got to know Harry well in the last  year (I've got two really cool pieces of art he spontaneously created for me), it was only in the context of hanging with Kessler, so I don't have any contact info...

[ecsurfer]

dubstar, i have harry with me. I was at the police department as this all was happening. Im a friend of Andys. He is safe and will hopefully stay  a couple days. Thanks

[dubstar]

OK, great...tell him "john from the surf shop" sends his condolences...

[C H U C K]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKcMrGBB0-Y

[johnnylzr]

that clip is so awesome!

[malinas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOziq71767Q

[ze RJM]

Man, that's too bad.  Crazy shit.  RIP

[the WORMER]

sucks
RIP

[dubstar]

As per facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=240734285466&ref=nf
Type: Other - Ceremony
Network:   Global

Date:    Friday, August 14, 2009
Time:  7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Ditch Planes
City/Town:    Montauk, NY

We will be having a paddle out for Andy Kessler at Ditch Plains beach Friday at 7 P.M. Please join us to honor the greatest NYC skateboarder to ever live. His surfing wasn't too shabby either.....

[dubstar]

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/Legendary-Skateboarder-Andy-Kessler-Dies-of-Hornet-Sting-52990487.html

Legendary Skateboarder Andy Kessler Dies At 49
Kessler helped create New York City's skateboarding scene
By JOSH ALPER
Updated 9:34 AM EDT, Wed, Aug 12, 2009

One of the greatest things about New York City is the way it gives people with nearly any interest a chance to forge new ground and make a name for themselves. It doesn't much matter if your thing is painting, pizzamaking, architecture, handball or politics - New York's got enough room for all of them -- and then some. It also doesn't much matter if any of those things is a particular interest of yours, because another part of being a New Yorker is appreciating people achieving great heights in our shared city.

That brings us to Andy Kessler, who died in Montauk after an allergic reaction to a hornet sting on Monday. The name might not be familiar to many of you, but Kessler is just the kind of New Yorker described above. In the late 70's and early 80's, he and a crew of cronies basically created the New York City skateboarding scene that plays itself out daily around the city. And they did it without winning any of the acclaim of their California peers who have been immortalized in movies like "Dogtown and Z-Boys"

Your mileage may vary when it comes to enjoying/tolerating skateboarders, but it's hard not to admire the way Kessler turned his passion into something that can be shared by New Yorkers of all ages today. He built the first skate park in New York on 108th street in Manhattan and helped build skate parks in Brooklyn, Riverside Park and on Pier 40 on the Hudson River, helping legitimize the outlaw pursuit that drove him as a younger man.

For a feeling of what he meant to the skateboarding community, check out David Browne's profile of Kessler for New York Magazine in 2005, click to one of several skateboarding message boards celebrating his life today or check out this interview with him. 

(see link)

But you don't even need to get deep into the skateboarding world to appreciate what Kessler accomplished in his life. He found something he was passionate about, pursued it to the fullest and in the process he created something that hadn't existed before. Kessler reshaped the way the city lived and played without asking for or receiving much credit for what he did.

That's a New York life, and one that deserves a moment of respect from the fellow denizens of his city.

Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.
First Published: Aug 11, 2009 5:29 PM EDT

[Eddy Calabritto]

R.I.P. ANDY! I'm super bummed your gone
Any info on services/funeral?