Announced on the official Burton Snowboards social accounts comes the news that the founder of iconic snowboard company, Burton died this week after complications relating to recurring testicular cancer.
Founded in 1977, Burton Snowboards grew to become the worlds largest snowboard company with products sold in over 4500 stores globally. In 2014 it was estimated that the Burton brand made up almost half of the entire snowboard and equipment sales globally.
Prior to his death, Burton began to write a biographical timeline of his life, which has now been published on the Burton website and documenting his life from childhood to his final entry on November 10th.
The final entry in the Jake Burton Carpenter biography
NOVEMBER 10, 2019*
Jake sent this email to Burton employees: “You will not believe this, but my cancer has come back. It’s the same tumor as the first time around. We just never got rid of it all. A bit of it hung out in my lymph nodes and got back into business.
The odds are in my favor, but it is going to be a struggle for sure.
As much as I dread what is facing me, it’s easier to deal with when you know that you have a family that will carry on.
I feel the same way about my company, my friends and our sport. I will be back, but regardless, everything is in good hands which is an amazing feeling when entering this zone of uncertainty.”
NOVEMBER 21, 2019*
John Lacy, Burton Co-CEO, sent this email to Burton employees: “It is with a very heavy heart that I share the news that Jake passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his family and loved ones as a result of complications from recurring cancer. He was our founder, the soul of snowboarding, the one who gave us the sport we all love so much.
This all happened very suddenly, and it’s a tremendous loss for his family, his friends and all of you. Let’s send all of our love and positive energy to Donna, George, Taylor, Timi and the extended family.”
