Don Szabo, a radical, irreverent, one-of-a-kind action sports icon and pioneer, has passed away at the age of 59. 

It was while growing up in Reseda, California, that Don Szabo first stepped on a skateboard, and within a few years, he found himself dropping into professional vert contests while representing Life’s A Beach, Airwalk, and JT eyewear. Via connections in the skate scene, Don discovered snowboarding, and his fearlessness and exaggerated backflips propelled him quickly into the spotlight. His early horizontal laminate, Nectar signature models, with “Szabo” scrawled within a spider web,  were amongst the first boards made with a kick tail and real graphics. 

Having introduced Burt Lamar to snowboarding several seasons earlier, Don left Nectar in the early 90’s to ride for Burt’s new namesake brand. It was as a pro for Lamar that Don became a big draw for John Freeman’s raw and irreverent Creatures of Habit trilogy. In addition to the unrefined freeriding and era-defining freestyle, the Creatures films showcased viral-ready antics, like the human catapult, as well as over-the-top skits. Creatures of Habit 3: Demented Chowder Pilots On The Run and the follow-up Plastic Soldiers In A Ridiculous World both ended parodies of the intro to James Bond’s A View To A Kill, earning Don some pyrotechnic powder burns on his shaved scalp, and the much celebrated “Double O” Szabo moniker.

By the late ’90s, Don had caught the freestyle motocross bug and worked with the likes of Seth Enslow and Mike Metzger on Freeman’s post Creatures endeavor, Crusty Demons Of Dirt, while still shredding as often as possible at resorts like Mountain High and Mammoth. At some point, the moto transitioned into a passion for mountain biking, which Don did as much as possible, up until the end. 

With the passing of his wife Heather to breast cancer in 2015, Don spent the last decade struggling to find a way to cope with the loss. Despite periods of grace and perseverance, including raising his two daughters, and channeling his thoughts and energy into writing his recently released must read memoir I Should Be Dead, Don couldn’t find lasting solace. 

As an ambassador of adrenaline, Don was unmatched, and he will live on for eternity in the DNA of every person who ever has or ever will strap in. The thoughts and prayers of the collective snowboarding world go out to Don's daughters, family, and friends.