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Yesterday, legendary ’80s vert skater and host of Vans’ ” Love Letters To Skateboarding” Jeff Grosso passed away at his home (1968-2020).
In the 80s, Grosso (1968-2020) was one of the top vert skateboarders. In recent years you could see him regularly on his Vans YouTube show “Grosso’s Love Letters“. There is a playlist of all episodes below. He also commented on numerous contests for Vans.
Here are some words from around the industry:
“Jeff was a true skateboarder at his core, and a great wealth of entertainment, insight and valuable philosophy to a younger generation. I was lucky enough to skate with him over the last four decades and occasionally featured on his Vans “Love Letters” series. Jeff had a genuine love of skateboarding and a renegade attitude. One of the last times we spoke, we talked about how ridiculous it is that we still get to do this for a living and that anyone even cares what we do or think in terms of skateboarding at our age. I believe Jeff is a big reason that anyone truly cares, and skateboarding was lucky to have him as an ambassador and gatekeeper to its history. He was also a great father, which is obvious in his last social media post. Thank you Jeff, words cannot describe how much we will miss you.”-Tony Hawk
“Thank You my friend, I love you & skateboarding loves you and your contribution to our generation. It will live on forever bud. Thank you for making us laugh and smile more. Rest Easy my friend.”-Steve Caballero
“Only a few hours ago I was laughing out loud watching you goofily dance with your son… sharing such a personal moment made me feel a little better about …well everything. The depth of love was obvious and resonated with me as a human and a parent. My heart goes out to your son and family. I’ll miss your F. U. attitude that was often masked with levity. Hope you see Phelps and crew in the unknown.”-Tommy Guerrero
“So deeply saddened to hear about Jeff Grosso’s passing today. My thoughts go out to his family and friends.”-J Grant Brittain
“Sad day for skateboarding. We need more people like Grosso that lay down laws. Rest In Peace Jeff Grosso.”-Andrew Reynolds
“So sorry to get word of your passing. Jeff had pulled kind of a sideways move with me at my ramp one day, and I remember being pretty bummed out about it. Years later he apologized, and would continue to apologize about it for years to come. I was always intimidated by his self-confidence and his authority. He once barged into a hotel room a bunch of us were staying in and held court with us for hours, completely entertained, and didn’t miss a beat. The dude could talk! As if these times aren’t confusing and taxing enough, it’s a hard loss. Thanks for your years of dedication to skateboarding Jeff. We’ll all miss you.”-Max Schaaf
“Rest In Peace Jeff Grosso. True skater, funny as fuck, cheeky ass smile and thunder on a skateboard. Thoughts and prayers go out to family and close friends.”-Geoff Rowley