JOACO
TODAY IS MEMORIAL DAY AND I WANTED TO HONOR JOAQUIN VELILLA WHO PASSED AWAY SURFING THIS PAST SEASON ON THE NORTH SHORE. I SAW JOACO AT THE FACTORY RIGHT BEFORE HE WENT TO PIPELINE AND I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE BIG. THE NEXT MORNING I WENT TO SURF PIPELINE AND HIS CAR WAS STILL THERE AT EHUKAI PARKING LOT AND THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE. WE SURFED AND WHEN I GOT IN TO THE OFFICE I HEARD THE NEWS! I WAS SHOCKED THAT HE WAS MISSING. THEY COULD NOT FIND HIM AND ASSUMED THAT HE DROWNED. THEY SEARCHED FOR HIM MANY DAYS AND EVENTUALLY CALLED IT OFF.
JOACO WAS AN EXCELLENT SHAPER AND GREAT PERSON. I REMEMBER TALKING TO HIM RIGHT WHEN CLARK FOAM SHUT IT’S DOORS AND I DID NOT HEAR ONE NEGATIVE WORD THAT HE SPOKE. HE WAS MORE EXCITED TO TALK TO ME ABOUT EPS AND HOW IT WORKED AND SHAPED. HE WAS VERY OPTIMISTIC AND POSITIVE ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. I BELIEVE THAT’S HOW HE LIVED HIS LIFE. I KNOW HE MISSED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
