Rob Dyrdek

Rob Dyrdek Enterprises (http://skateboard.about.com/od/proskaterphotogalleries/ig/Rob-Dyrdek-Pro-Skater-Gallery/Rob-Dyrdek-Enterprises.htm)

As motivation, Rob Dyrdek uses his perspective on life to help him attain his goals and be the successful person that he is today. Currently a “… Professional skateboarder, Rob is also a TV star, filmmaker, a serial entrepreneur, a marketing whiz, and a multi- faceted philanthropist dedicated to supporting skateboarding” (“About”). Robert Stanley Dyrdek was born on June 28, 1974 in Kettering, Ohio. “At the age of 12, Rob picked up a skateboard for the first time. Within a month, he won his first competition and… forgoing his senior year of high school, Dyrdek became a professional skateboarder at the age of 16…” (“About”). He persevered through the obstacles of skateboarding and was dedicated to being successful. Dyrdek is not only a hero because of his perseverance to pursue his dreams, but when he achieved them, he sacrificed his success to help others pursue their dreams.

Dyrdek Street Skating (http://interviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/2274/Skate-2-Rob-Dyrdek-Interview/p1/)

Dyrdek is worthy of the hero title because of the perseverance he displayed from his adolescence. Rob is relentless in reaching the success of achieving his goals. “Perhaps the word relentless, as tattooed on his forearm, best exemplifies Rob Dyrdek's approach to business, skateboarding, and life in general. By definition, relentlessness is "showing or promising no abatement of severity, intensity, strength, or pace." From an early age, Rob has demonstrated an unmatched work ethic and a nonstop pursuit of his ambitions” (“About”). Dyrdek’s dedication to everything he does from him taking on new skateboarding challenges at a young age, to him running a successful enterprise in the present stages of his life confirms his relentless mindset. Soon after winning his first skateboarding event, he was offered a role in Alien Workshop’s first film, titled Memory Screen. “Embodying this dedication, Rob would skate harder than ever for his first high-profile video part the very same year… and through it Rob's skating gained notoriety and his part in the video included both advanced handrail skating and the more technical street tricks that were just then evolving as part of the sport” (“About”). Wanting to skate since he was young, Dyrdek relentlessly persevered through the obstacles in front of him, working to reach his potential. All of this dedication has led him to where he is today, allowing him to help others achieve their dreams.

Rob Dyrdek Foundation Safe Spot Skate Spot (http://projecttrident.org/2009/02/09/the-rob-dyrdekdc-shoes-skate-plaza-foundation-in-lasickypants/)

If a hero is one who sacrifices themselves for the greater good of others, then by risking all of the success that Dyrdek has acquired throughout his life, in order to aid the skateboarding dreams of others, puts him at the top of the hero list. He sacrifices his own time and money to create a place where skaters can come together and skate legally. “Rob Dyrdek conceptualized and brought into reality the Safe Spot Skate Spot program, which seeks to create safe and legal havens for skaters across the country” (Rob Dyrdek Foundation). As a street skater himself, Dyrdek knows the difficulty of finding a fun, safe, and legal place to skate. With that knowledge, he funded a program to help solve the problem of illegal street skating. “The Rob Dyrdek Foundation provided $50,000 to design and assist the construction… and landscaping improvements for the new skate plaza” (Rob Dyrdek Foundation). Dyrdek cares a lot about kids reaching their skateboarding dreams, and because of his experiences street skating, he knows that it is nearly impossible to do so legally. To help provide a place for his goals and the children’s dreams to be achieved, he sacrifices his own money for the benefit and betterment of communities.

Make-A-Wish Foundation (http://www.mtv.com/photos/rob-dyrdeks-fantasy-factory-season-4-ep-7-kid-lightning/1663958/6130866/photo.jhtml)

The perseverance and the sacrifices made to be successful in skateboarding, business, helping others, and life in general, continues to inspire. Dyrdek stays inspired in his own life, by waking up every morning, focused and determined to achieve the goals he sets for himself, and goes to sleep knowing what he can build on. He emphasizes this perspective on life through skateboarding. “Put yourself in a position where you get up each day and can’t wait to get out and skate. When you go to bed, think about the tricks you didn’t land, and keep yourself in a place where you just can’t wait to get up and try again. The moment you become uninspired, everything becomes half-assed. Your skating, your life, everything you do. Put yourself in a place to STAY inspired” (Cave). Dyrdek is an inspiration because he shows that you must maintain dedication to become successful at anything. In a recent episode of Fantasy Factory, a reality show starring Dyrdek and his friends on MTV, the Make-A-Wish Foundation invites Dyrdek to grant fourteen children their one wish of meeting him in person at a World Wrestling Entertainment event in Atlanta, Georgia. Driven to inspire, Dyrdek not only grants their wish, but goes above and beyond by personally taking part in a wrestling match, showing them that when life knocks you down, you get back up and continue to strive toward your dreams. To always remind the children of this inspirational moment, Dyrdek presents each child with a one of the kind skateboard designed specifically for this event (“Rob Dyrdek’s). By elevating his moment with these children from a simple meet and greet, to one which teaches a valuable lesson about not giving up, contributes to the idea of Dyrdek being a hero. From an early age to his adult life, Dyrdek’s nonstop persistence to reach his goals, his willingness to sacrifice any and everything needed to move forward, and his commitment to aid others on their journey to success, solidifies him as a consummate hero.