Jake Phelps was a skateboarding legend and the editor-in-chief of Thrasher magazine for 27 years. He was known for his passion, dedication, and rebellious attitude towards skateboarding and life. He influenced generations of skaters and helped shape the culture and history of the sport. He died on March 14, 2019, at the age of 56, in his home in San Francisco. His death shocked and saddened the skateboarding community and the world. But what was the cause of his death? And why was it kept secret for so long?
Contents
The Official Cause of Death: Acute Fentanyl Intoxication
According to Wikipedia, Jake Phelps’s official cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. It is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, to increase their effects. However, this also increases the risk of overdose, as fentanyl can suppress breathing and cause death in minutes.
Phelps was found dead in his home with a guitar neck in his hand and traces of fentanyl in his bloodstream. His uncle, Clark Phelps, wrote on Facebook that his nephew “died suddenly and easily today.”However, the official cause of death was not revealed to the public until January 2023, when an article by SF Standard exposed it.
The Troubling Trend of Fentanyl Deaths Among Skateboarders
Phelps’s death was part of a troubling trend that finds renowned skateboarders dying from fentanyl overdoses without public acknowledgment of how they really died. Some wonder whether the secrecy shrouding these deaths is preventing lives from being saved, given the pervasive drug use in the skateboarding community.
Among over 2,000 lives lost to drug overdoses in San Francisco since 2019, there were at least two other prodigious skaters, Mark Dillard and David Abair, whose names and faces are emblazoned in artwork across the city.Dillard, also known as Nosey, was a rising star who died in his apartment on September 18, 2020, after using cocaine laced with fentanyl. Abair, a street skating legend who appeared in several skate videos, died on April 11, 2020, after using heroin laced with fentanyl.
The use of drugs in the skate community combined with the deadliness of fentanyl makes it likely that there are other skaters among those thousands of names. Marcos Castro, a friend of Dillard and Phelps, said: “It’s like they tried to hide the truth. Nobody cared how they died.”
The Need for Awareness and Prevention
The deaths of Phelps and other skaters highlight the need for more awareness and prevention of fentanyl overdoses in the skateboarding community and beyond. Fentanyl is a silent killer that can be present in any drug without the user’s knowledge. It can be hard to detect and even harder to treat.
One way to prevent fentanyl overdoses is to use naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of opioids and restore breathing. Naloxone is available as a nasal spray or an injection and can be administered by anyone who witnesses an overdose. However, naloxone is not widely accessible or affordable for many people who need it.
Another way to prevent fentanyl overdoses is to use drug testing kits that can detect the presence of fentanyl or other adulterants in drugs. These kits are cheap and easy to use and can help users make informed decisions about their drug use. However, drug testing kits are not foolproof and may not detect all types of fentanyl or other substances.
The best way to prevent fentanyl overdoses is to avoid using drugs that may contain fentanyl or other unknown substances. However, this may not be realistic or feasible for many people who struggle with addiction or use drugs for recreational or medical purposes. Therefore, it is important to provide support and treatment for people who use drugs and reduce the stigma and shame associated with drug use.
The Legacy of Jake Phelps
Jake Phelps was a skateboarding legend who lived and died by his own rules. He was not afraid to speak his mind or challenge authority. He was loyal to his friends and family and generous to his fans. He was a visionary who pushed the boundaries of skateboarding and inspired countless skaters around the world.
Phelps’s death was a tragedy that could have been prevented if he had known what he was taking or had access to naloxone or drug testing kits. His death also exposed a hidden epidemic of fentanyl overdoses among skateboarders that needs more attention and action.
Phelps’s legacy lives on through his work at Thrasher magazine, his band Bad Shit, his skate videos, and his influence on skate culture. He will always be remembered as a skateboarding guru who lived by the motto: “Skate and Destroy.”
