“Biggest skateboard air ever?” -Jay Alvarrez
It’s a bird, it’s a plane….it’s a skateboarder! Surreal skateboarding stunt performed by Hawaiian multi-sport athlete Jay Alvarrez who strung up a mini-ramp below a hot air ballon and enjoyed a high altitude shred session before sending an indy grab air that may go down as the “biggest skateboard air ever?”
Bit concerning that there didn’t appear to be any kind of tether on that skateboard as he plummeted to the earth by he held onto it the whole way down (at times utilizing the tried and true mall grab) so I guess no harm no foul?
I was born and raised in the Polynesian islands of Hawaii, specifically in a small town called Haleiwa on the main island of Oahu. The town is best known for its glorious beaches and surf scene, yet it’s very quiet and disconnected from the rest of the world. My parents both came here in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s. They both came from simple backgrounds without wealth, fame, or anything of the sort. My mother originally lived in mainland America and fell in love with the island, leaving behind a chaotic upbringing and less-than-ideal family life. I imagine this place was her escape in some way. As for my father, he had been backpacking around the world and landed on the island after a last-minute invite from some friends. Had that last-minute invite never been given, my reality may have never been.
My mother is of Greek descent and my father is of Spanish descent, hence the last name Alvarrez. They briefly crossed paths while on the North Shore in Haleiwa. My mother had started a small coffee shop, and my father got a job there. Both my parents had a very hippy-like mentality and free-spirited aura. I was later born in July 1995. With a twist of fate, when my mother gave birth, I came out without a pulse; the umbilical cord had cut off my oxygen, and the doctors tried multiple times to bring me back. To their surprise, just as all seemed lost, I regained a pulse. Divine intervention would allow this life to continue. Sadly, my parents would later split while I was only one, but they would remain friends and peaceful throughout my upbringing.
Growing up in Hawaii was a double-edged sword. The beauty of island life is riches on your doorstep, like the ocean, mountains, and everything else that was in front of us as children. The downside is that island life leaves very little work or future opportunities. The only ones who made it were pro surfers or those who owned one of the few tourist businesses.
I have always seen myself as a late bloomer yet early riser in life, meaning I would often grow and learn through life’s experiences at my own pace – yet, I’d always be there when life was calling. As a child, I took interest and joy in unraveling all of life’s mysteries. I often couldn’t relate to those around me and the interests of other kids. I would switch from wanting to be in nature to wanting to be inside all day on the computer.
I can recall the majority of my memories and experiences from around the age of 10. My childhood up until this point seemed smooth, not perfect but surely functional, and I often had a smile on my face and confidence of love surrounding me. This would soon be tested when my mother was diagnosed with cancer; it turned my world upside down. At the same time, around the age of 13, I dropped out of school and my father’s business was falling apart, putting even more stress on this chapter of my life.
It was here I first picked up the camera. The flow of creativity would be intrinsic to my mind. I would begin to shoot photos and videos of all the adventures I went on. It became my favorite hobby and main pastime to always be documenting all the happenings in my life. It became a sort of escape and purpose.
Fast forward to the age of 16, and my mother would lose her fight with cancer.
I could say this is really where the story began for me. The Jay you’ve followed who’s lived this crazy life of adventure and curiosity was born again in this moment. I was a mama’s boy in every manner. She was my home, my first love, and my shining light. The collective emotions were explosive. It had the potential to go in a bad direction, but a divine life force brought me toward the light, and this life-changing event shaped me into the person I’ve become.
After my mother’s death, I felt there was nothing left to lose. I had already been out of school for years and was making most of my money on side hustles – some legal and some not. Ironically, I had slowly started to gain attention for my photos on Tumblr. I also got my first solid photo gig working overseas in Tahiti, French Polynesia. This would be my first international travel. Months later, I flew to Greece. These two trips opened my eyes to the world outside my small island.
From this point onward, I felt a strong purpose with the camera in hand. I became hungry. I didn’t want to be stuck on this island where I felt I’d outgrown a long time ago. Coming back from these trips, I had this new vision; I knew I had something special. The one thing I learned about traveling is that my way of seeing the world and freedom was much different from the rest. This idea of being young and free around the world was such a cool concept to me that I wanted to create and tell a story of the life I knew, deeply romanticized with love, adventure, and special moments. I wanted to share this vision with the world. Something deep outside a 9-to-5 and basic routine.
I’ve always been bound to this concept of having a strong rapport with your feeling of fear, to be able to challenge and expose yourself to greater heights. Whatever subjective fear it is that you hold, visit that space with your whole self. It’s why I’ve always gone full force into the unknown. I’ve always taken extreme routes in life and learned in dynamic ways.
“Dream World” was my first solid piece of content that went viral. It’s hard to explain fame to someone who has never experienced it firsthand. To have everyone around you boosting your ego, yes-manning you, and giving you constant good feedback isn’t an accurate description of life. Having thousands of other humans asking for your photo or autograph is something I’ll never fully get used to. I never intended to choose this path; I was only ever a kid chasing his passion.
As the years went on, the money and lifestyle became normal. I was in a new country every few days working and shooting. The idea of any normal life again seemed long gone. I now had access to a world I never knew existed before. Around 2016, I stopped creating consistent videos on YouTube and lost interest. I’ve turned down so many offers and things that didn’t align with me. The entire point of my work was to express a feeling, to romanticize life and to dream in colors that don’t exist. I wanted to look back in twenty or forty years and remember my youth, my liveliness, my moments full of love and experience. I wanted to express my love for this universe and encourage the rest of my generation to touch upon something deeper in themselves.
My mind has often wandered, and I would always flow into new things. I spent many of my years exploring new cultures, learning languages, and studying philosophy and psychology. I stepped back quite a bit over the years from social media after having some realizations about how I prefer to spend my life.
I never was too fond of alcohol, weed, or much of anything hard, but I really discovered interesting things with psychedelic plants. These experiences felt like coming home to the self. You feel this oneness and unity with all of life’s happenings. Everything just flows effortlessly through you, and you can observe patterns and details without your biased views or traumas getting in the way. This period allowed a lot of self-discovery and the unfolding of suppressed trauma in my life.
It took me a couple of years to fully digest all these experiences and emotions. I don’t demonize any substance; I think the Universe creates everything for different reasons. But, as of now, I haven’t been able to find a reason to interact with any mind-altering substances. Things like alcohol, weed, nicotine, and other designer drugs haven’t spoken or drawn me in for any reason. The older I get, the more harm and chaos I see some of these things do to people and the less I want to be involved. Who knows what the future holds, but as of now, being high on life’s experiences has been the most fulfilling for me. I will admit that coffee is my one vice I love dearly.
One day, I may get up and leave this all behind – these accounts, all my online images and videos, even all my work. Fame has been a strange experience. I’ve tried my best and had many ups and downs along the way. It was more my vehicle to financial freedom and experiencing the world. I wanted the freedom, the curiosity of the unknown, the opportunity to make a life outside what I knew. I’ve contemplated it many times, and there’s still a strong chance I will delete everything and go offline for good; time will tell.
I am so thankful for the opportunities, real friends, and incredible experiences I’ve had. I may not know you, but I’m thankful for you.
I’m thankful for quietly connecting with you, for having the ability to mark my presence and impact on your curious minds. You have unknowingly changed my life.
I can only finish this with a quote I have held on to since I was 11, and that is simply, “Let’s live.”
The chapters will keep turning, and I will continue to look forward to every next one this life serves me.
To all those who dream of a greater life and experience, it’s only ever one possibility away. Whatever it is that sets a fire inside your soul, take that and let it light your way.
I wish you all the best. Thank you