Zero Skateboards' professional skateboarder Tommy Sandoval shared a good news post recently showing a special moment with his father, Dwayne Sandoval.
Tommy Guns reflected on their complicated past and how much this particular moment meant to him.
He opened up about growing up in a household where church and family values were central.
His father taught him a strong sense of structure and discipline, but when Tommy Guns followed his own path into professional skateboarding, things became difficult between them.
He admitted that he struggled with drugs and alcohol in his early career, which caused distance and tension between him and his dad.
Skateboarding at that time was not seen as a serious path, and that added to the challenges in their relationship.
Fast forward to today, Tommy Guns has been sober for six years, and he has been working on rebuilding his relationship with his father.
The recent photo he shared is particularly meaningful because it shows the first time in his 20-year professional career that his father asked for one of his custom graphic boards.
This request was a sign of connection, respect, and shared pride in the work he has been doing.
Tommy Guns also expressed excitement about the design of the new board and gave credit to the artist Micah Ulrich for the graphic.
Fans can check it out and grab one on Zero's website.
This moment represents years of growth, reconciliation, and a renewed bond between father and son.
It’s a story of growth, moving forward, and celebration, showing that time, effort, and understanding can heal old wounds and create moments that really matter.
Tommy Guns Posted:
"This is my father (Dwayne Sandoval) and this is a moment I will cherish for years to come. As some may know I had a bit of a tough upbringing when it came to my fathers views on skateboarding. We had many differences beyond just skateboarding including the lifestyle I was living in those times. I grew up in a household where we attended church on sundays and wednesdays n we were expected to follow the ways of what we were being taught. My father instilled a solid foundation for our whole family. In saying so I had my time where I decided it was my time to venture off into the world and chase my dreams and whatever came with that. Long story short I got into drugs and alcohol while going through my early career in skateboarding. This lead to a major separation between me and my father on top of the already preconceived notion that skateboarding wasn’t gonna get me anywhere in life. Fast forward to today and I am moving along on 6 years of sobriety and my father and I have been doing the work it takes to rebuild our relationship as father and son. This moment in specific marks a special moment for me as this is the first time in my 20 year professional career that my father requested one of my graphic boards. I am super excited for this board and hope everyone else likes it as much as I do! Major shout out to @micah_ulrich for the amazing graphic! Go check zeroskateboards.com and grab one today 😍"