http://thegetradblog.tumblr.com/post/3679255416/shane-cross-foreverStories from skateboard.com.au
There are just so many good times to choose from when re calling anything to do with Shane. The dude was just the best! In every sense! I remember one year we went to Melbourne for the Globe world cup and also for Shane to except his SLAM skater of the year award ($5000 spent entirely on servo porn during the drive back to sydney….amazing!) After all the festivities through the week and weekend had come to an end we were left on a high that was quickly running out come our final Sunday night. After a quick “potential Antics” meeting and with a quick inspection of the streets below our hotel room, at the ever so lovely “City Squared Hotel” in Melbourne’s CBD, we decided we should make Melbourne a little bit “Sexier” and remove our clothes and take back the streets in our Birthday suits. We didn’t want to miss a meter of ground with our clothes on so we literally got naked in the room , caught the elevator to the lobby and ran outta that place quicker than an ice head on his way to a free crack party. We quickly spotted a near by 7/11 and decided it would be a good idea to rob the place naked. Upon our arrival the 7/11 worker screamed “NOOOOO” repeatedly in a thick Indian accent, ran to the back room and locked himself in side leaving the shop floor defence less. Id say we made it out of there with about $1000 worth of candy in our hands and plastic bags. We then sat over the road, still completely starkers, and began to devourer our loot. We then noticed taxis lining up at a near by Taxi rank. We ran out of the shadows confronting the first driver both jumping in and asking for a lift “To the Goldie VIA Sydney because we had to get our washing off mum” upon our instant rejection and ejection from the Taxi we both began to shine the exterior of the cab with our naked bodies….this didn’t go down to well and the driver took off with us both on the cab…. We got off just in time. we then ran over the top of a few cabs, scared a few randoms and returned home awaiting our possible imprisonment. We already had a super good excuse which was “Hey its Melbourne…….art capital……it was one of those live installations or whatever.” But the police never showed and the guy at the front desk never mentioned it……………. strange!
Apart from the good times I will, however, leave you all with this.
This time of year is always an extremely sad period for me and im damm sure it’s a sad one for everyone else involved too. I always remember the amazing times I had with Shane(which were always epic!) but in reality it makes things worse knowing that those good times are a thing of the past and wont happen again in my lifetime. I miss my friend more than anything, I don’t know the words to describe the sadness and emptiness I feel when thinking about Shane and knowing I wont ever see him again. To this day It makes my cry even as I write this final paragraph. What people need to understand is that human life, friendship and love is something you cant put a price on! I don’t give a fuck if you think that’s “gay” or sappy, and if you think less of me for saying it I feel sorry for you. You should always let your friends and homies know how much they mean to you and how they play a vital role in your life. Telling your friend you love them or how much they mean to you isn’t gay its what mates should do! I was lucky enough to spend time with Shane two days before his passing and as we went our separate ways (be-known to us it would be our last goodbye) we both did our usual “I love you man” routine and had a solid hug. Shane was never afraid to express his feelings of love towards his friends and family and neither should you. You never no when your time is going to be up. Live everyday like Shane did, as if it is your last! Don’t forget the special people in your life that make it so amazing! Shane never did and that’s why we all will love him so much for eternity. Like every year my deepest condolences to the cross family who have been so strong ever since the tragic day. My thoughts are always with you all. I love and miss you more than words can describe my brother you are in my mind everyday and will be forever. You’re my hero bro……see you soon. Shane Cross….Shredding forever in our hearts! - Sparx
Karl Bayldon shares an early memory from an arvo on the Sunny Coast with Sammy Winter and Shane circa 2004ish...
I've got heaps, but this ones pretty funny! Sammy (Winter) and I had house on the Sunny Coast and Shane used to come up a lot to hang out with us.
We where shredding at the local skate park and after we went to the bottlo to get some drinks. On the way home Shane was driving and we where hyped as to get back and drink. It was raining too, anyway Shane had Bob Marley playing and we were all dancing and singing to Bob and Shane was really getting into it and I looked over and Shane was acting really rasta until I looked up to see a car! (We had ran up the ass off this car).
Shane gets out and just started laughing his face off and we all like pretty freaked out that Shane was just laughing the whole time!
So we all just stared pissing ourselves too. Shane cracked a bottle of red wine and just went on his way... that was a funny time!
I've got heaps more but that's a funny one that sticks out!
To have a person like Shane taken away has been absolutely shattering. The world has lost one of the most amazing souls to ever grace the earth and the most naturally gifted skateboarder our country has seen.
I remember the first time I saw Shane, this little guy with pants and a shirts 5 times too big for him, at the now turned to rubble nexus Skate Park.
He must have been all of 14, nollie BS lipsliding down the rail every shot, even at that time, outshining every other kid at the park. Shane told me years later, though I couldn’t remember it that I had actually met him a couple of weeks before that, he also told me that the same night I met him he copped an accidental elbow to the face from my brother Dave, which left him with a gushing blood nose.
It wasn’t till a couple years later when I started skating with Shane on a regular basis.
He called me one morning; this would have been the second time I actually ever went out with him on a skate mission, asking if I was keen to shoot some photos and that he was feeling real good today.
Now at this time I was still had my old setup and was used to just shooting friends of mine skating curbs and the odd flat bar, getting a photo run every now and then, but defiantly not at a place that where people could trust me to get a gold photo of them jumping down multiple stair sets and be able guarantee that the photo would ever see the glossy pages of a magazine.
Through out that day, Shane ollied a never before skated 7 flat 7 (no, not varsity) , filmed about 8 tricks on this picnic table, fs lipslid a kicker to power box setup and did the massive fs 180 that was at the end of his northern lights part.
From that day onwards I would never doubt that Shane was something special.
I’ve seen him go through his fazes, from his baggy mudgee rat rags, to his trusty defiant hat he would never leave home without, to his skin tight girls pants to him some times not wearing any pants at all, and more recently, which is what felt like his real calling was, the brightest t-shirts, head band and the biggest smile around.
Shane enjoyed his life the way that we all should, on or off a board, his attitude and demeanor was infectious.
His short life effected more people positively than most of us could imagine and I feel honored to say that I was his friend.
Not a day will go by that the memory of Shane cross won’t be floating through my head and there won’t be a day that I and so many others won’t miss him.
Where ever Shane’s soul has gone I know he’s skating and smiling and that exactly what he would want us to be doing.
He was the best there has been, the best there was and the best there will be, but the best thing about it, he didn’t have a clue; he just wanted to skate and have a good time with his friends.
The world will miss you forever Shane, peace out.
Rome