When I was young, I played a lot of sports, but skateboarding always held a special place in my heart. My friend Jesse got me started in seventh grade, and even though sports took over for a while, skateboarding was something I truly loved. In my hometown, skateboarding wasn’t always seen in a positive light, but that changed when my cousin Ty moved to Somerset. Ty was an incredible skateboarder, and our shared passion brought us even closer together.

While I was stationed in Germany with the Army, I received the heartbreaking news that Ty had passed away from an overdose. I didn’t have time to process it then, but after returning home, I opened a baseball facility—another passion of mine. One night, I had a vivid dream about Ty and me skateboarding together, and it brought me so much joy that I decided to transform my baseball facility into a skatepark the very next day. I named it Ty’s skatepark in his memory, as a way to honor him and keep his spirit alive.

For the past five years, Ty’s skatepark has been free for everyone. It’s become a positive, welcoming space for skaters from our town and beyond. But now, the costs of keeping it open—like utilities, internet, security, and maintenance—are more than I can handle alone. I’ve never charged for entry, and I want to keep it that way, but I need help to make that possible. To my friends, family, and community: Please help me keep Ty’s legacy and the skatepark alive. I don’t ask for a lot—if you can help with any donation, big or small, it would mean the world to me and to so many skaters here and beyond. Ty’s skatepark has been 100% positive for everyone who’s given it a chance. We love the family we’ve built here, and we want to keep it alive.