Jake Phelps, an editor for skateboardings most popular magazine ‘Thrasher’ was found dead in his home on March 14 at the age of 56. His death was announced on Thrasher’s Instagram account with no specific cause listed.

“It’s sad, because he made such a big impact on what went in the magazine; it won’t be the same,” junior Jory Spiroff said.

He was a tastemaker in a subculture known for resenting authority, and was at a top position with Thrasher Magazine for half of his life, which made him both loved and hated, in the world of skateboarding. Phelps often banned skaters he did not like from the magazine and mocked others in many ways. One such way was in 1996 when Phelps labeled a skater “most annoying” in the year’s issue of Thrasher. Later the skater showed at Thrasher’s Office and punched him in the face.

“Everything people saw in Thrasher’s Magazine was because of him, he was know because of the magazine and the magazine was known because of him,” junior Dalton Otwell said.

Thrasher’s motto is “Skate and Destroy,” and Thrasher had a recurring feature in which readers were encouraged to send in pictures of broken bones and open wounds.

“It’s crazy that someone who made a magazine could be so well loved in the skating community for so long,” junior Jackson Fenner said.

Phelps influence was seen at its best when the award for Thrasher’s skater of the year come around, while never being confirmed nor denied skaters all around believe that Phelps had the be all end all in the decision.