Thrasher Magazine

Graphic Content! This shocking clip of survival could actully help save a life. After seeing Gonzalo's harrowing experience, hopefully skaters will be scared straight into having a spotter system at all times.

in skating. No matter your skill level, you're going to get served raw. So, you might as well laugh at the shared experience and wish each other a speedy recovery. We get hundreds of slam clips every month but this one made us gasp and immediately contact the sender. We had to see if the skater survived. We’re happy to report Gonzalo is alive and well. He didn’t miss this bus but he swerved the Grim Reaper. His savage sacrifice and second chance both serve as a warning for all skaters: You gotta know yo spotta! —Adam Creagan


First off, Gonzalo, we’re glad you’re alive! How do you feel?
Thanks a lot, I feel fine. I was just glad that I had no fear to skate again in the streets.

The slam was in Peru, correct?
I’m from Peru and so is the spot. I now live in Zaragoza, Spain.

What happened to your spotter system on that day?
I was really stoked when I got to the spot and told Franklin (the filmer) that I felt it was going to be first try. I was so into landing it that by the time I was finally rolling away, they started screaming. But it was too late. I didn’t have enough time to slow down and the bus hit me.


What did you think the moment the bus was about to hit?
The first thing I thought was that I needed to clear the bus or it was going to kill me. That’s why in the video it hit me with the outside edge. I wasn’t fast enough.

Describe the injuries and how you felt.
I had a cut in my left eyebrow and a couple of broken ribs. The only trouble I had was breathing for the next couple of months. But pretty much I walked out the hospital the next day. I felt really lucky to be honest, it was a huge bus and I’m a skinny guy and it didn’t made much damage to me. It wasn’t my time to go, I guess.

Did you interact with the bus driver at all? Did you two get to say anything to each other?
I don’t remember much after the bus hit me, but I know that the cops held the driver for some minutes to get the insurance info. But I didn’t have any communication with him.

Were you upset with your friends?
We were all distracted to be honest, I can’t put all the blame into them. I had no problem with them. Also, they took good care of me until I was in the hospital getting proper care. It’s all good.


Has your family seen the video? What did they think?
My mother hasn’t and I hope she doesn’t, honestly. My father saw it. I showed it to him and he was really scared. He joked about giving my skate away. Ha!

Your video may encourage people to take spotting more seriously. Any words or advice on this matter?
Doesn’t matter the trick—your life is more important and you can always give another try. Stay alert, stay safe and have fun out there. And thanks to everyone who reached out to me with support messages. I hope my video is the last one in the genre.

Lastly, any shout-outs?
A big shout out to La Dolce Vita Shop for supporting and believing in my skateboarding now that I live in Spain. Another one to Pop and Shoot in Perú. And big thanks to my family and friends who were supporting me during my recovery.