C
A Memorable Night
Kit Erickson
Of
In Memory
When I graduated from high school,
my parents gave me some money
to buy a camera. Luckily, my friend
Tobin Yelland was selling his
Nikon, so I took him up on his
offer Then, that summer, I
took a trip to Santa Barbara
to visit some friends on
their break from school.
We were cruising around
in some parking lot when
this skinny, pale, long-
haired skater started
popping ollies and
landing tricks that I
had only seen in
videos. I was so
stoked that one of my
friends knew him! We
were quickly intro-
duced, and before
long. I was skating all
over SB with my new
friend Kit Erickson. I
still have those first
photos we shot togeth-
er from that day: ollie
over a very tall fire i
hydrant and a sequence
of a frontside 360° ollie
off a curb cut into the
street. We skated together
for the remainder of my
vacation, from all day Powell
warehouse sessions, to push-
ing around at night going from
keg party to keg party. Eventually,
Kit moved out of Santa Barbara and
into San Francisco to live with Jaya
Bonderov, and for the next few years.
we were always hanging out together. He
turned pro for Sonic, I got a job with Slap,
and our lives began to take shape. Not much had
changed since then. I worked on shoot-
ing better photos, while Kit worked on
his skateboarding skills, and, for the
most part, we did it all together.
helping each other along the way.
It was always like that, like
brothers, we could talk to each
other about anything
You never expect to wake
up and have it all taken
away from you. There's no
way to know when you're
going to say your last
goodbye, or even if
you're going to get one
We were all hanging
together at the house.
Just like any other
night, about to go to a
party. My car was full.
so we told Miko and
Kit to meet us there.
Having gotten bored at
the party, Jaya. Aaron
Astorga, two girls, and
myself decided to shoot
some pool instead. After
pool. I dropped everyone
off and went home to
sleep. It wasn't until the
next morning that I learned
about the accident. I listened
to Aaron as he explained
what happened: Apparently,
Kit was feeling light-headed at
the smoke-filled party and went
to the front of the house to get
some fresh air. Nobody saw him fall.
but he must have blacked out for a sec-
ond at the top of the stairs that led to
the front of the house. He was found shortly
after and immediately taken to the hospital. By
the time I showed up, the only thing keeping him
Clockwise from above: Kit Erickson boosts a big frontside 180 in the City by the Bay Rip in Peace. Max and Anya. Oliver hooked up the venue
Thanks. The bands played to a full house. Kate, Miko, and Brenna. Gary, Nick Lochman, and Spencer Fujimoto Wade Speyer blasts a big air rock to
fake. Karma blows the roof off the Maritime Hall. Theo hand and Naomi Adams Carmela and a friend. Thanks to all who showed and helped out.
RAFFLE
TYCKITS
alive were the machines. On January 30, 1997.
he was taken off life support, and I had lost
one of my best friends.
You try to think of all the things you could
have done differently-pack the car, wait longer
at the party, anything-but there's just no way
to know. Eventually, you learn to accept it. You
realize how uncertain life can be and how
important your friends really are.
A memorial benefit was held in Kit's honor
at the Maritime Hall in SF People from all
over donated everything they could to help
out the family for this costly tragedy. Maybe
you were there or maybe you heard about it,
but the turnout was amazing. There were
bands, slideshows, huge raffle giveaways, a
skateboard demo, and even a short film with
footage taken of Kit over the years. I was
touched to see so many people working
together for this event and would like to per-
sonally thank each and every person who
helped in any way, even if you just showed
up to see the bands. Thank you, Kit would
have been proud. RIP-Theo Hand