A true legend has passed - He died of a heart attack while vacationing in Mexico. He had a hard life, was in and out of prison, but had turned his life around in the last few years. http://www.tmz.com/2014/08/15/jay-adams-dead-dies-heart-attack-dogtown-z-boys/ Jay Adams -- a legendary skater who was portrayed by Emile Hirsch in "Lords of Dogtown" -- has died of a heart attack ... TMZ has learned Sources connected with the skater tell TMZ ... he died late Thursday of an apparent heart attack in Mexico. We're told Adams was there with his wife and the 2 were on a long surfing holiday. They had been there for 3 months. Family sources tell us ... the 53-year-old has been sober for months and had no history of heart problems. This was the first time in 20 years Adams was allowed to leave the U.S. He had been in and out of jail since the '80s on various felony drug charges. Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2014/08/15/jay-adams-dead-dies-heart-attack-dogtown-z-boys/#ixzz3AV17j2ru Adams has spent much of the last couple of years attending church and speaking to kids about drugs and alcohol at schools. Here's a nice clip of Christian Hosoi meeting Adams upon his release from prison. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/EubhAudX_Z4?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I wasn't into the skating thing, and didn't get it when I was younger, but saw it happening all around me in Central NY. Then I watched that movie. I like it. And I was interested in their stories. Jay Adams seemed like he brought that whole lifestyle alive. Sad to hear he didn't quite go the distance.