Rest in peace, Jeff Grosso.
The skateboarder died at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California, according to multiple reports. He was 51. Grosso's cause of death is reportedly pending an autopsy.
Grosso was one of the biggest skate stars of the '80s, and went on to host Vans' "Love Letters to Skateboarding" series. He overcame a lot in his life -- including three overdoses before 2017.
Tony Hawk posted about Grosso's death on Instagram on Tuesday.
"It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Jeff Grosso. He 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," Hawk wrote.
The skateboarder shared a couple clips of Grosso, which he said exemplified his "genuine love of skateboarding and 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," Hawk said. "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. I feel like we’re living in the upside down."
Grosso was also mourned by Vans on Instagram on Wednesday.
"To say Jeff’s impact on our brand, our people and skateboarding was unparalleled, would be an underestimation of how much of a role he played in the lives of us all. From curating content that highlighted the global skate community, to his unique and raw commentary of the skate industry, and mentoring up-and-coming athletes -- there was nothing that Jeff wouldn’t do to uplift skateboarding and the people around it," read a statement. "Jeff Grosso is the epitome of skateboarding. We mourn the loss of our dear friend and our thoughts are with his family during this time. 📷: @aacostaa."
Grosso is survived by his 8-year-old son, Oliver. See more on stars we've lost in the video below.
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