A few words on Gary D

I first met Gary D when I was 14 years old. Matt Gettings convinced me to go to Philly for the first time. I wont lie, I was fucking terrified. He told us we were meeting up with this dude named Gary who lived out there, which made me even more nervous. As a white 14 year old from the Pinelands, I figured anyone living in Philadelphia was a raping, stabbing, murderer. We arrived at the train station and there was this lanky ass dude with a goofy mustache. It was Gary. He shook all of our hands and introduced himself. He was awesome enough to take us back to his apartment so we could watch the Fitlife video on Google and get pumped to ride.


We started shredding and I have never to this day seen someone do gaps and hops that seemed so impossible. After watching him shred all day I wanted to do something big. I was going to 180 a 7 or 8 stair but decided to hop it first. I looped out, got wrecked and began bleeding, a lot. We immediately went back to his place and he cleaned me up and hooked me up with some bandages.
A year or two passed since I rode with Gary again. We wound up riding EHC of all places. I didn't think there would be much shredding going on but Gary was able to yet again blow my mind. He walked right up to some lady's house, looked at the handrail in her front yard and without any run ups at all, Iced that bitch. He dominated St. Nick's and everything else we went to.

Then he moved down to Florida, I didn't hear to much from him until Banned BMX started getting somewhat popular. I noticed my old pal Gary in a couple of web videos. I was completely stoked to see someone I knew in some legitimate videos.

The summer of 2011 came along and Gary was back in Jersey for the Summer. I remember we rode Cape May and Northfield. We were fucking around on some railroad tracks seeing how long we could do a rail ride, when I asked if he'd be down to get some clips for the Piney BMX DVD. He was completely for it and we were both stoked. A few sessions here a few sessions there, some skateparks some weak street, Gary D filmed no bullshit! One day we rode Somers Point with Sean Guest and Jerm Kaufman, after talking about Transvestites for a good hour we tried to arrange an Atlatnic City trip.
We rode Atlantic City just over 3 weeks ago. Gary came out with fire, stacking 6 bangers for the Piney DVD. I was just expecting him to get 4 or 5 clips for the friends section, but after that day he said "Fuck, I might as well film a whole section"

The last time I spoke to Gary D was at Shred Shack, we were seshing the rails on the flat pad. He asked if I was going to the IB! video premiere in AC. I told him I was too young, but he said "Nah dude, Fuck it I'll get you in!" I really wish, I went to the AC premiere because now I will never have the HONOR of hanging out with one of the best dudes I've ever met.

Gary D was a huge part of our riding scene whether you were lucky enough to know him or not. I'll miss that dude more than words can describe and I know I'll be doing some roof drops in his honor. As I tear up finishing off this post, I just have to say that Gary D became one of my closest friends in the past few months and will always be a Piney and will always be in our thoughts and hearts. He now gets to do railhops and roof drops in peace. Much love Gary!