The Final Push: A Legend’s Battle Ends Under the Full Moon

The world of skateboarding, journalism, and countless friends across the nation are mourning the loss of a true icon, Kevin Michael Wilkins, 58, of Lincoln, Nebraska. Kevin passed away on November 4, 2025, after a grueling, five-year battle with metastatic prostate cancer. He was the founder and senior editor of The Skateboard Mag and an integral voice at TransWorld SKATEboarding, a brilliant writer whose words articulated the very soul of skate culture. Kevin faced his cancer with the same grit, grace, and humor he brought to every challenge. His death, though coming after a long fight, is a devastating and shocking loss that silences one of the most intelligent and creative voices the industry has ever known.

More Than Ink: The Connector and the Creative Force

Kevin Wilkins was much more than an editor; he was a connector, a devoted father to Miles and Cian, and the beloved husband of Cheryl for 34 years. His obituary highlights his wicked intellect, his impeccable taste, and his generous heart. He had the rare ability to build community, whether through founding Donuthill (an indoor skate park in Lincoln), raising funds for Lakota kids on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, or creating WWASH (While We’re All Still Here), an annual winter solstice gathering for friends. The heartbreak lies in the loss of this powerful, creative momentum—a man who dedicated his life to pulling others along and lifting them up. The end of his five-year fight leaves a crushing void in the lives of his family, who surrounded him with “love—raw, real, honest, deep, and ever-present” in his final days.

An Enduring Influence: The Legacy of a Gifted Pen

Kevin Michael Wilkins’s influence profoundly shaped the landscape of skateboarding media for four decades. He was a savant with words, capable of articulating the heart of the “diehard skater and a thinking, feeling human being.” His legacy lives not just in the millions of pages he edited or wrote, but in the fierce, free-bird spirit he inspired in his siblings, his children, and the countless skaters and writers he mentored. His final hours were spent at home, surrounded by love, leaving this earth under the light of a full moon. His extraordinary contribution to art, cycling, and community will be missed beyond measure, but the profound impact of his words will endure for generations.