When one thinks of skateboarding, Tony Hawk is the name that immediately comes to everyone’s mind. The legendary skateboarder has many world records and accolades to his name. Although he has performed many tricks throughout his career, fans know Hawk for his classic trick ‘900’ up the ramp.

While the skateboarder is now in recovery from a serious injury, he hasn’t steered away from skateboarding. Recently, a YouTube video prompted fans to stand up for their favorite athlete and his achievements. Fans also recalled Hawk’s biggest contributions to the skateboarding community that made him a champion among people.

Fans defend their champ

A YouTube video talked about the history of the athlete. However, the tone of the video raised some questions about the athlete’s greatness. Fans responded to the video by defending the GOAT. Those who questioned Hawk’s intentions, and wondered if he was a “sellout”, a fan replied, “Sell out my a**…guy still rips hard and he has given more to skateboarding than any other skater..nothin but RESPECT for this man.”

Read More: “You Can Own a Piece of the Ramp”: Skateboarding Legend Tony Hawk Has a Splendid Proposal for His 7.5 Million Fans

Some expressed their gratitude for the skateboarder’s game ‘Tony Hawk Pro Skater’. One fan commented, “THPS on PS1 honestly probably single-handedly saved the skateboarding industry and made it in to what it become. It’s impossible to describe how huge and hugely influential that game was at the time.” While another replied, “THPS 1 was and still is one of the most fun games to play imo—EVER. The mechanics used to perform tricks were simple and easy to learn and one of the best things was learning on the spot how to do specials just by trying different button combinations.”

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Hawk’s contributions to the skateboarding community were recognized and appreciated. A fan went so far as to comment, “I simply cannot understand why people who work very hard and succeed are attacked for their success. Tony Hawk owes nobody an apology. You Go Tony.” While another said, “Tony is one of the very few people who has truly earned their fortune and success, has given so much to skateboarding, and somehow still manages to be a very, VERY humble human being. Long live the Birdman.”

Tony Hawk and his gifts to the skateboarding community

While skateboarding rose to popularity only after the 90s, that didn’t stop Tony Hawk from working towards the sport. Skateboarding was his true passion, and the star was ready to sacrifice a cushy life to bring the sport to the limelight. However, success didn’t arrive before a bunch of obstacles. Although Tony had his own skateboard company, the star couldn’t find success immediately.

However, all’s well that ends well. Skateboarding became popular after ESPN’s Extreme Games, where the sport was highlighted. Over the next few years, both Tony and his company grew popular and Tony found the success that he deserved.

Watch this story: Tony Hawk, Magic Johnson, and more, here’s how these athletes turned into big entrepreneurs