Tony Hawk stands for a portrait at the Linda Vista Skatepark in San Diego in 2020. Courtesy of The Skatepark Project via AP
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Skateboard legend Tony Hawk says he will donate half of the proceeds of autographed photos of himself and BMX rider Rick Thorne to the memorial fund for Tyre Nichols.
“My proceeds from these will go to the Tyre Nichols Memorial Fund, which includes plans to build a public skatepark in his honor; as our worlds continue to grieve his loss,” Hawk tweeted Friday. “He was a talented skater among other admirable traits. Let’s keep his legacy alive.”
Tyre Nichols had a passion for skateboarding and was described by friends as joyful and lovable. Nichols was fatally beaten by police during a traffic stop in Memphis, Tenn., on Jan. 7. Courtesy photo by Ryan Wilson
The photos can be purchased on Thorne’s website for $30. Only 1,000 copies will be available for sale.
Half of the proceeds from the autographed photos will go to Nichols’ memorial fund “to help his family out, and to build a memorial skate park in his name, honoring his love for skateboarding,” according to Thorne’s website.
Nichols was a 29-year-old skateboarder, FedEx worker and father to a 4-year-old boy.
He died Jan. 10 after police stopped him for what they said was a traffic violation, and beat him. Video released after pressure from Nichols’ family shows officers holding him down and repeatedly punching, kicking and striking him with a baton as he screamed for his mother.
Six officers have since been fired and five of them have been charged. One other officer has been suspended, but has not been identified.
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.