Jay Adams Dead: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Jay Adams, one of the world’s greatest skateboarders, has died at the age of 53 in Mexico, reports TMZ. The skateboarding legend famously said, “You didn’t quit skateboarding because you got old, you got old because you quit skateboarding.” The tragic news was first delivered via fellow Dogtown legend Stacy Peralta via his Instagram page:

Adams is survived by his devoted wife Tracy.

Here’s what we know so far:


1. He Was With His Family When he Died

Adams was on vacation with his family in Mexico when he suffered a heart attack. Adams’ last post on Instagram came on August 14. According to TMZ, Adams had no history of heart promblems.

Jay Adams Dead

(Getty)


2. Emile Hirsch Played Adams in Lords of Dogtown

Adams was portrayed by Emile Hirsch in the movie Lords of Dogtown.


3. After Years of Battling Addiction, Adams Was Finally Sober

Jay Adams Tony Alva

Jay Adams pictured with fellow Dogtown legend, Tony Alva. (Getty)

He became sober in 2014 after battling drug-addiction for many years.


4. He Had Been Banned From Leaving the County

Jay Adams wife

Adams pictured at the Lords of Dogtown premiere in 2005. (Getty)

Adams was on vacation with his family when he died. He had been forbidden from leaving the country since his earlier drug convictions. A source told Heavy.com that he was now off of federal parole “and had permission to leave the country.”

In 2004, Adams was overheard on a federal wiretap introducing a meth dealer in California to a buyer in Hawaii. After doing time in prison for that offense, Adams said “My good-luck chances with judges are through. I can’t make those mistakes anymore.”


5. ‘The Original Seed’ Will Be Greatly Missed

During his skateboarding career, Adams went by the nickname “The Original Seed.”