Getting your first real skateboard is something most skaters never forget.
For a lot of us, that board went everywhere. It leaned against the wall while we ate, sat next to us while we watched TV, and for some, it even ended up in bed.
We spent our days thinking about learning to ollie, landing our first kickflip, and finally skating with the homies.
If you’re a skate rat, there's a good chance you've got a similar memory.
Pro skater Bastien Salabanzi recently shared one of those memories with a childhood photo that plenty of skaters can relate to.
The photo was taken by his mom on the very first night his skateboard arrived in the mail.
Rather than leaving it in another room, young Bastien kept it right beside him while he slept. After waiting so long to finally own a real skateboard, he wasn't about to let it out of his sight.
Along with the throwback photo, Bastien wrote:
"My mom captured this image the very first night I got my skateboard in the mail. I was so happy to finally have my own « Real » Skateboard that I didn’t want us to be ever separated. We’ve been together ever since!! Skateboarding For Life ✊🏾❤️🌅 #skateboarding #love"
It is one of those stories that instantly brings back memories for skaters everywhere.
Before the scuffed graphics, chipped nose, and worn out wheels, that first complete felt almost too nice to ride. Every scratch mattered, and every session felt like another step toward finally landing the tricks you had been dreaming about.
Years later, Salabanzi is still one of the most respected names in skateboarding, but seeing this photo is a nice look back at where it all started.
Long before contests, video parts, and traveling the world, he was just another kid who couldn't stop thinking about skating.
Judging by the reactions online, plenty of core skaters had the exact same habit. Sleeping with your first skateboard may sound funny now, but for many skaters, it felt completely normal.