When I first met Billy I was unaware of the long history he had in skateboarding and the mental health challenges that ushered both his return to Florida and retirement from pro skating. However, I was promptly educated on the lore, like the nollie hardflip at courthouse, strong friendship with Harold Hunter and unfortunate arrests (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch Billy’s Epicly Later’d).

While a markedly novel dude, through my eyes he has always been a community oriented, kind and important facet of skateboarding in my college town, so on a free day back home I drove up to kick it with Billy and check out his skateshop Samurai.