A Tragic Loss.

My day started out well, I went to school, had good classes, talked to all my friends, and to close it off practicing flips at a gym. Then I got in the car to leave. I checked my messages. (taking Kyle's idea click here and listen while you read) I had about a two minute message about my cousin Mike's resignation. It is a tragic loss. My best partner and my inspiration crushed because his father was so worried about him he thought he would die doing parkour. They don't understand we don't do it for the stunts or the fame. Just the mindset. The mental accomplishes. If only he could stay and not have to leave this beautiful world that we so cherished. We hadn't had a great relationship till we started parkour. We had hour long conversations on the phone about what we wish to accomplish and what we already had accomplished. Now my phone remains silent. I only have one real partner right now, Will, and I know we can make it through this tough time but it'll be hard. Kyle and I still may go but it won't be the same. Maybe Mike can film for us or something. We will let him edit the movies so he can still have some connection with it. It's like being a Jedi. Even when you leave you are still one with the force. Mike still has the mindset and I know it. You can never truly lose the parkour mindset when you stop. We don't do it for the moves. It's only for the mindset. Mike has broken so many boundaries since he had started but those things he has overcome will never leave him. I also feel bad for Kyle because Mike was his partner for the longest time. They did so much together. If you watch their videos and see them now you'd be pretty amazed they have improved so much mentally and physically. I don't wish to tell Mike good bye from this Parkour world so I won't. It is just understood. "No room for goodbyes in Sparta. No room for weakness." This is the end of Mike's parkour days and we are sorry it had to be this way. We will still get together. It won't be the same. Or will it? Who knows. I'd rather his problem be solved than ours. The parkour world has many obstacles and Mike found an obstacle he can never overcome. No way around it. No way over or under it. He will have to take the sidewalk today. I'm sorry Michael David. May you never forget the times we shared together when we weren't just cousins, we were traceurs. A long time ago I was going to make a movie about a traceur who was on the run, he was solo. That is me today. I am a traceur without his wingman. I haven't missed a day of parkour since Michael David was here about two weeks ago. But today I will not go out and practice, today I will rest, today I will remember.
-Austin