History page for the Johnny Romano Skate Jam for Make A Wish

The History of our event, by Damian Hebert Back in the 90’s I had a passion to do something important for the skate scene in Houston, beyond my company (South Shore). I dreamed up the idea of a newer version of the Shut-Up and Skate, but I chose not to go forward with it. Basically there was no real good park in H-Town at the time. About that same time Thomas Mixon opened up the South Side Indoor Skatepark. I turned my thoughts to doing a magazine anyway. Costs of paper turned me towards a webzine. I had little to no support from friends to get that rolling. Everyone was just too busy keeping up with his or her own thing at the time, which bummed me out a bit but totally understandable. Then I watched a show on HBO in the winter of 1997 and that changed everything! I decided that skateboarding needed to give back. I knew there were a few small events about in the states, but we as an industry we were doing little to nothing for the kids in need. The program I watched was about a little girl with Cystic Fibrosis that had a wish to go to school (she was only 6) and she was laying out plans for each stage of her life. She really just wished she’d get a chance to grow up. She had to endure double lung transplants (TWICE!). She ended up getting to her 6th birthday and getting into school, she was adorable and full of life, and two weeks after her 6th birthday she went into a coma and died two weeks later. To this day that show has a major emotional effect on me. This year 2012 she’d be a grown woman and most likely amazingly beautiful, as most of the kids that fight the tough fight. So I got with a few friends, Thomas Mixon, Jeff Taylor (team manager of Planet Earth at the time) and started on building this event. Our big names that year in 1997 were Geoff Rowley & Rune Glifberg. We raised over $5,300 for Make-A-Wish. Now why Make-A-Wish you might ask? I know they don’t effect medical research or pay hospital bills and whatnot. The reason I picked them is that little girl had a wish in 1996 and she was happy through her pain and troubles because she got that primary wish, she got to go to school! A wish can change everything in a child! It can give them hope, open up new avenues to look at their current plight in a more positive light. HOPE gives a “light at the end of a dark tunnel” as one Wish Kid explained. Hope to not give up, not to give in to the cancer or illness or debilitation. Hope that inspires so many more people, this is what Johnny Romano did for us. Our event from day one was called “The Texas Skate Jam for Make-A-Wish” but in 2008 we changed the name. Reason for name change: Johnny was a very special person to so many people, especially to us involved with the Texas Skate Jam and then Sept. 23rd 2008 came along.....and we were compelled to rename it to honor Johnny's life.... September 23rd 2008 was to be an important date for Johnny, and it was, just not the kind I was looking forward to 9 months before that date. That was when Julie (Johnny's Mom) reminded me this particular date was a big day. The day Johnny would be officially in remission after his three year plus maintenance and treatment would be over. He had to be hospitalized May 31st 2008 after his cancer relapsed on the 13th of May. It was touch and go after that day in May and on that important date, Sept. 23rd 2008, became an even more important day for Johnny and his family; Julie, Mike, Joey, Sophie; and for all of us here. Johnny was relieved of the pain, and his lease to us had ended. "God wanted him back" as his brother Joey so eloquently stated on their Blog....Joey's words were so special and private, but was there for everyone on to see. I have learned one thing for sure, that I am weak & scared in comparison to Johnny and the rest of this wonderful Romano family. They faced life with a smile even in the darkest times. Johnny was the pinnacle of that. He showed us all how you can face the day no matter what it threw at you. I can only aspire to be that strong and I will do my best, if not I would be letting Johnny down. We should all aspire to that level of strength and kindness. Sometimes in life your meet someone on this crazy world and you see angelic features in that person, be it in their face or spirit...Johnny had it in both...His whole family is just the same; beautiful, loving and with great strength in spirit. I'm only one voice in many that have been touched. I know that so many have and will be changed by Johnny's story. Basically, I am happy that I got to know him and become friends with his wonderful family. I am happy his pain is gone. I am happy he's seated with our Lord Jesus Christ. I am happy that his story will inspire others, including myself. I am happy that he was able to help Make A Wish & The Greater Houston Blood Center. I am happy that he lived such a beautiful life to the fullest he could, be it only for 10 years. I am sad to know that his mission with us all has ended. "We are so selfish, we all want him here with us ..." Kim said.. Ok what have we done over the years? Well in 15 years we have raised over $720,000 for Make-A-Wish thus directly effecting about 141 kids in making their wishes come true! The great thing about Make-A-Wish is year after year this chapter puts over 93% to 95% of the money raised directly into the wishes for these wonderful children. We have a great volunteer group of over 100 people and we have a great demand for wishes in the Houston area since we have one of the best and most used medical centers in the world which includes the Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH)! TCH is a leader in world treating children for all kinds of ailments, so there are so many children in need of HOPE! The Hope Make-A-Wish offers. Lastly, this event's proceeds go directly to the MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATIONof the Texas Gulf Coast & Louisiana!! If you buy tickets, sponsor or just donate to the Skate Jam, you'll be giving to MAKE-A-WISH. Again 100% of the money for this event goes as always to MAKE-A-WISH and that we will continue to reflect on Johnny's passion and drive as a human to make this event better every year! Damian	A Story about Johnny from 2009 & a VIDEO LINKS TO STORIES and VIDEOS for 2011: ESPN's Gallery for 2012 2011 ESPN's Coverage LINKS TO STORIES and VIDEOS for 2010: A walk-about video by Neal Boyd from 2010 Skatepark of Tampa's coverage Transworld mag's coverage 2010 Transworld mag's eS Game of Skate Pro Final Deluxe & Skateboarder Mag Edit Zumeiz best Trick at the JRSK 2010 Festivus by Rob Brink ESPN's Coverage PREVIOUS STORIES AND VIDEOS SPot Skate Shop (Skatepark of Tampa) Black Box In The Gear.com Skate Theory a list of YOUTUBE VIDEOS Knowskateboarding.com LINK TO TRANSWORLD VIDEO OF 2009 ESPN SkateboardMAG Johnny Romano Kicks Cancer.org TEXAS SKATE JAM myspace.com page
Just Rollover any image and select the " >" button to play slide show
2009 Many of the photos are courtesy of Transworld Skateboarding
2008 Many of the photos are courtesy of Transworld Skateboarding & SPOTlight Productions
	2007
	2006


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The History of our event, by Damian Hebert

Back in the 90’s I had a passion to do something important for the skate scene in Houston, beyond my company (South Shore). I dreamed up the idea of a newer version of the Shut-Up and Skate, but I chose not to go forward with it. Basically there was no real good park in H-Town at the time. About that same time Thomas Mixon opened up the South Side Indoor Skatepark. I turned my thoughts to doing a magazine anyway. Costs of paper turned me towards a webzine. I had little to no support from friends to get that rolling. Everyone was just too busy keeping up with his or her own thing at the time, which bummed me out a bit but totally understandable. Then I watched a show on HBO in the winter of 1997 and that changed everything! I decided that skateboarding needed to give back. I knew there were a few small events about in the states, but we as an industry we were doing little to nothing for the kids in need. The program I watched was about a little girl with Cystic Fibrosis that had a wish to go to school (she was only 6) and she was laying out plans for each stage of her life. She really just wished she’d get a chance to grow up. She had to endure double lung transplants (TWICE!). She ended up getting to her 6th birthday and getting into school, she was adorable and full of life, and two weeks after her 6th birthday she went into a coma and died two weeks later. To this day that show has a major emotional effect on me. This year 2012 she’d be a grown woman and most likely amazingly beautiful, as most of the kids that fight the tough fight. So I got with a few friends, Thomas Mixon, Jeff Taylor (team manager of Planet Earth at the time) and started on building this event. Our big names that year in 1997 were Geoff Rowley & Rune Glifberg. We raised over $5,300 for Make-A-Wish. Now why Make-A-Wish you might ask? I know they don’t effect medical research or pay hospital bills and whatnot. The reason I picked them is that little girl had a wish in 1996 and she was happy through her pain and troubles because she got that primary wish, she got to go to school! A wish can change everything in a child! It can give them hope, open up new avenues to look at their current plight in a more positive light. HOPE gives a “light at the end of a dark tunnel” as one Wish Kid explained. Hope to not give up, not to give in to the cancer or illness or debilitation. Hope that inspires so many more people, this is what Johnny Romano did for us. Our event from day one was called “The Texas Skate Jam for Make-A-Wish” but in 2008 we changed the name. Reason for name change: Johnny was a very special person to so many people, especially to us involved with the Texas Skate Jam and then Sept. 23rd 2008 came along.....and we were compelled to rename it to honor Johnny's life.... September 23rd 2008 was to be an important date for Johnny, and it was, just not the kind I was looking forward to 9 months before that date. That was when Julie (Johnny's Mom) reminded me this particular date was a big day. The day Johnny would be officially in remission after his three year plus maintenance and treatment would be over. He had to be hospitalized May 31st 2008 after his cancer relapsed on the 13th of May. It was touch and go after that day in May and on that important date, Sept. 23rd 2008, became an even more important day for Johnny and his family; Julie, Mike, Joey, Sophie; and for all of us here. Johnny was relieved of the pain, and his lease to us had ended. "God wanted him back" as his brother Joey so eloquently stated on their Blog....Joey's words were so special and private, but was there for everyone on to see. I have learned one thing for sure, that I am weak & scared in comparison to Johnny and the rest of this wonderful Romano family. They faced life with a smile even in the darkest times. Johnny was the pinnacle of that. He showed us all how you can face the day no matter what it threw at you. I can only aspire to be that strong and I will do my best, if not I would be letting Johnny down. We should all aspire to that level of strength and kindness. Sometimes in life your meet someone on this crazy world and you see angelic features in that person, be it in their face or spirit...Johnny had it in both...His whole family is just the same; beautiful, loving and with great strength in spirit. I'm only one voice in many that have been touched. I know that so many have and will be changed by Johnny's story. Basically, I am happy that I got to know him and become friends with his wonderful family. I am happy his pain is gone. I am happy he's seated with our Lord Jesus Christ. I am happy that his story will inspire others, including myself. I am happy that he was able to help Make A Wish & The Greater Houston Blood Center. I am happy that he lived such a beautiful life to the fullest he could, be it only for 10 years. I am sad to know that his mission with us all has ended. "We are so selfish, we all want him here with us ..." Kim said.. Ok what have we done over the years? Well in 15 years we have raised over $720,000 for Make-A-Wish thus directly effecting about 141 kids in making their wishes come true! The great thing about Make-A-Wish is year after year this chapter puts over 93% to 95% of the money raised directly into the wishes for these wonderful children. We have a great volunteer group of over 100 people and we have a great demand for wishes in the Houston area since we have one of the best and most used medical centers in the world which includes the Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH)! TCH is a leader in world treating children for all kinds of ailments, so there are so many children in need of HOPE! The Hope Make-A-Wish offers. Lastly, this event's proceeds go directly to the MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATIONof the Texas Gulf Coast & Louisiana!! If you buy tickets, sponsor or just donate to the Skate Jam, you'll be giving to MAKE-A-WISH. Again 100% of the money for this event goes as always to MAKE-A-WISH and that we will continue to reflect on Johnny's passion and drive as a human to make this event better every year!

Damian

The History of our event, by Damian Hebert

A Story about Johnny from 2009 & a VIDEO LINKS TO STORIES and VIDEOS for 2011: ESPN's Gallery for 2012 2011 ESPN's Coverage

LINKS TO STORIES and VIDEOS for 2010:

A Story about Johnny from 2009 & a VIDEO

LINKS TO STORIES and VIDEOS for 2011:
ESPN's Gallery for 2012
2011 ESPN's Coverage