Micah carbajal
Growing up in a military family, I was always asked if I moved around a lot and that isn’t even close to the truth. I was born in California, spent my childhood in Alaska, and then my teen to adult years in Montana. I know those don’t seem like the most common places to get into skateboarding but I started learning how to push around as a kid up till we moved from Alaska then it got away from me. I wouldn’t start again till I was in Montana at the age of 13 and that’s when I would start learning tricks. As I started going to the skate park, street wasn’t very common but transition skating was. I would start making friends and building a crew that I would skate with all the time and we’d constantly push each other to learn new things. When I graduated high school, I moved to San Francisco for culinary school and that was the skate capital of the world to me and it really widened my love for the sport. After about 9 months I had dropped out and moved back to Montana with my dad and then a year later I would join the Air Force and follow in my dads foot steps. During basic training, all I could think about was skating so when I was stationed in Mississippi for training, I ordered my first set up in 3 months and it all was coming back to me like I never stopped. My first duty station would be in Enid, OK where I would meet Chris with in my first couple weeks and all these years later, he’s still one of greatest friends. I would also meet another great friend of mine in Darrin who would host skate church and still does it to this day and I love seeing it. As 2018-2020 rolled around, it really tested my thought on why I joined to serve. One of my mentors and good friends that I flew with at the beginning of 2018 would be involved in a mishap and when we got the phone call from him knowing he was alive, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. In November of 2019, the story would be different. One of my other mentors and friends who I would look up to and one of the nicest students pilots I knew would lose their lives in a mishap. At that moment, I was mad and upset on why my friends were taken away from this world and I would look up in the sky and ask why with not being able to get the answers I wanted. In the summer of 2020, I would lose another friend of mine and while I’m looking for those answers, I would get even more upset and not understand why these things are happening. I knew I needed a change and a fresh start to help get my head in the right place. I would put in for assignments and I was blessed with Luke AFB in Arizona. Since moving to Arizona, I have been able to skate and progress more than I ever thought I would and on top of that, I would make more friends and connections as my crew and friend group would grow. Another benefit of moving to Arizona, so would be closer to my family. Now I knew around the time I joined the Air Force, my grandpas health wasn’t the best. I would lose him Veterans Day of 2023 and it broke my heart. Knowing he wasn’t in pain anymore and was with his parents again would bring me some sort of comfort. Knowing that he’s in heaven looking down at me and the rest of our family is slowly building my connection with god. Do I fully understand it? Not at all, but as time goes on I really hope I can with him being up there. When this skateboarding journey started, the goal was to always have my name on a board and be a pro someday. Being in my late 20s, I’m still pushing myself to progress but watching the younger generation grow and get to levels they’re at is amazing to see. I can’t thank Forgiven enough for giving me this opportunity and in a way, I feel like I’ve reached my goal. I can’t wait to continue to grow with Forgiven and grow my faith and see where life takes me!