Copenhagen 2015 | Photo: Blair Alley
Kevin Wilkins wasn’t just a voice in skateboarding—he was a backbone, a mentor, and a friend to so many. This one hurts. RIP to one of the realest.
The world lost a good one yesterday, November 4, 2025. Kevin Wilkins was one of the realest. From his years at TransWorld, The Skateboard Mag, and beyond, his words will live on forever—and so will the memories.
Kevin wasn’t just a voice in skateboarding—he was a backbone, a mentor, and a friend to so many. His impact stretches far beyond the pages he edited or the stories he helped shape, but at the same time, his voice was powerful. It was influential and inspiring. He taught me so much.
If you were ever lucky enough to share the deck of a vert ramp or session with Kev, you already know the kind of stoke he brought to skateboarding. He had style. He oozed cool. You can’t fake that kind of funk, and the dude loved funk.
For the past few years, Kevin had been battling cancer, rolling through all the exhausting ups and downs that come with it. And while there’s never a good time to share news like this, seeing the skateboarding community come together—sharing stories, lifting him up, and celebrating a guy who spent his life celebrating others—has felt like a bittersweet blessing.
From Blair Alley, TransWorld Editor:
“Kevin Wilkins’ name was always cemented in my mind from growing up reading TransWorlds with his ‘Toner’ column. I’d always heard he was this legendary skater/writer and he lived out in Nebraska. As fate would have it, I went on a trip to Europe with Levi’s in 2015 that Kevin was also on. I was shooting photos and he was project managing. We ended up rooming together in Copenhagen, riding bikes all over the city, and getting late night kebabs and beers. He told me stories of making and swapping zines with people like Tod Swank when he was just a kid out in Nebraska, and that’s how he forged a lot of relationships in skateboarding. It quickly became apparent why this guy was so beloved and revered—he just loved connecting and talking skateboarding with anyone, no matter where you were from or what company you worked for.
My heart goes out to his friends and family. But Kevin’s life and influence will live on in skateboarding forever.”
I will say this: Kevin left skateboarding better than he found it. His passion, creative spark and wittiness will continue to inspire us all. He was a lifer. And I’ll miss him dearly. I could say so much, but I’ll leave it at that.
Go skate today. Hop on a bike, slap some bass, draw a goofy picture, drink a hoppy IPA, tell a joke, read some Vonnegut—whatever it is, do it for Kevin. He’s smiling somewhere, cracking a joke, and probably copyediting these words as I write them. We love you, Kevin. RIP.
Don’t miss another headline from TransWorld SKATEboarding! Subscribe to their newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skateboarding. For more outstanding skateboarding related features and videos via the following link: https://skateboarding.transworld.net/
If you are not yet a BRA Retail Member, you can easily opt into either Regular (no cost) or Distinguished Membership via this super simple join form