Tony Hawk is a legendary retired professional skateboarder who is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best skateboarder ever. The twelve-time National Skateboard Association World Champion is best known for his outrageous and impressive, technically challenging stunts. One of these is the two and a half times air spin in the air, known as the 900.
Hawk, who created a multi-million dollar business empire out of a hobby, was the first person to be inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame at the 2009 opening ceremony. He was also able to give something back to society by building skate parks in underprivileged areas through his Tony Hawk Foundation.
Tony Hawk Bio
Tony Hawk was born on May 12, 1968, as Anthony Frank Hawk in San Diego, California, where he also grew up. His parents are his mother Nancy Elizabeth, a part-time economics teacher, and his father Frank-Peter Rupert Hawk, a retired U.S. Navy officer and small appliance salesman.
As a child, Hawk was described as very hyperactive and with behavioral problems that made him a terror to his parents as well as to his teachers and babysitters. His parents feared that their son was suffering from a psychological disorder, so they took him in for an examination, only to find that he was a gifted child with an IQ of 144. Later, they introduced him to skateboarding to release his excess energy, a step that proved to be life-changing for their son. His father got him an old skateboard and built a ramp in the backyard of their house, where Hawk practiced at least six hours a day.
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When Tony Hawk outgrew the ramp, he started training in skate parks near his home, where he usually stood out from other skaters, although he was always the youngest. At the young age of fourteen, Hawk developed his skills as a professional skateboarder. As a high school student attending Torrey Pines High School, Hawk reportedly earned around $100,000 a year, which came from sponsorship contracts, performances, and winnings from skating competitions.
The boy earned the nickname Birdman because he loved to perform high-flying acrobatics, which made him very popular. He won competitions all over the world, which made him the best figure skater in the world. This title was supported by the fact that he was officially named World Champion of the National Skateboard Association for twelve consecutive years.
Soon after, Hawk began appearing in movies while turning his attention to other ventures, such as starting a skateboard company called BirdHouse with his colleague, professional skateboarder Per Welinder, and a video game series.
Tony Hawk’s Family – Spouse (Wife), Kids
After three failed marriages, Tony Hawk surprised everyone by not only opting for a fourth attempt but also doing so with Kathy Goodman, the ex-wife of his close friend, business partner, and best man in all three of his previous marriages, Matt Goodman.
The couple began dating in 2011, although some reports suggest that the couple were in a relationship when Hawk was still married to his third wife. After several years of dating, Hawk and Goodman exchanged vows at a ceremony at the Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort, Limerick, Ireland, on June 28, 2015.
Tony Hawk hopes that this will be his last hurrah, but if the story continues, he may be in for a rude awakening. His first marriage was in 1990 with his high school sweetheart, Cindy Dunbar. Together they had a son, skateboarder Riley Hawk, in 1992, before they divorced a year later. In 1996 Hawk married Erin Lee, who gave him two more sons, Spencer, born in 1999, and Keegan, born in 2001. The couple was married for 8 years before deciding to go their separate ways in 2004.
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Two years later Hawk married his third wife, former publicist Lhotse Merriam. The marriage lasted five years during which they had a daughter named Kadence Clover Hawk, who was born on June 30, 2008, before the marriage broke up.
Height, Weight and Other Facts
Birth Name: Anthony Frank Hawk
Date of Birth: May 12, 1968
Place of Birth: San Diego, California
Height: 6 feet 3 inches (1.90 m)
Weight: 171 lb (78 kg)
Zodiac sign: Taurus
Occupation: Skateboarder, Actor, Entrepreneur
Net Worth: $140 Million
Source of Income: Skating, Acting, Producing, and other businesses that include a video game series and skateboard company.