When you think of skateboarding, names like Tony Hawk, Bob Burnquist or others, might be the first ones you think of, but for the Stratford community one name comes to mind.
Sam Beauchamp.
Hitting the next trick on the halfpipe, wasn’t the only challenge for Sam, as at a young age he was diagnosed with frontal lobe glioblastoma. This form of brain tumors impacts roughly five in every 100,000 men, and is the most common brain tumor in men. Sam spent many years in and out of treatment, but he was always a fixture with the local skateboarding scene.
“I met Sam when I first moved to Stratford,” said Brendon Whetham, a friend of Sam's. “He was one of the only skaters here when I got here, and he was such a fun person, who always hyped everyone up, whether you had been skating forever or if it was your first time, he was so supportive.”
In 2022, Sam began to lose function to half of his body due to his condition, but that never stopped him from being involved in the skateboarding community. Instead of letting his condition get the better of him, Sam brought artwork to skating spots, sticker-bombed those spots, helped others get better by filming clips, he would judge contests and was always the ultimate hype-man.
By August 2022, Sam’s condition forced him to move from his home and into Rotary Hospice, a place he would never leave. On August 27, Sam died but his legacy would roll on.
“This year is our third annual Sk8 Jam 4 Sam,” said Whetham who has become an organizer of the event. “We did something the year he passed but it was mostly for his friends and family.”
Last year the group got together with a goal in mind of $300 and they blew it out of the water by raising nearly $3000 for the Rotary Hospice in memory of Sam. “Our goal was only $300 because we found out from the hospice that it cost that much a day for a patient,” said Whetham. “That can be life changing for some people.”
This year's Sk8 Jam 4 Sam is taking place on September 28 at noon in Shakespeare Park on Downie Street. There will be a skating competition with multiple events, each costing only $5, and the competitions will be for people of all ages and skill levels. Sk8 Jam 4 Sam shirts will also be sold, along with food and drinks for donations back to the Rotary Hospice.
Thinking back to his friend Sam, Whetham feels blessed to have known him.
“He was loving, and supportive to everyone who was important to,” he said. “He had a big impact and a big personality that drew a lot of people to him."
