Stevie Brandenburg R.I.P.

Old ass pic and another FG woodpark session. Brakeless with a lever what!

Towards the end of my day today at work I decide to log on and check the space. Browsing the Bulletins and I see one from one of my "Little Brothers" sister saying, "Drinking and Driving Don't Add up.. RIP STEVEN." I immediately felt cold and hoped that I wasn't about to read what I knew I was about to read.

Some years ago I heard about some jumps in a field and I went to check them out. Little did I know I would be meeting two young kids that I would eventually treat as if they were my blood. Adam Acosta and Stevie Brandenburg were these two kids. I think they were around 14 when I met them and it is hard to believe it has almost been 10 years since that day. Stevie lived next door to the jumps and Adam lived up the road across the street from what is now the Forest Grove Skatepark. I would do everything I could to keep these two guys in bikes. I would beat up on them and make them stay in school and I would kick their ass if they got into any sort of trouble.

Time goes on, trails after set of trails are plowed, I graduated college and I move into the city ending the trails part of my life. These two guys continued to ride even after they started High School. They both were even involved in trying to start a BMX Club in the school. I think these little bastards managed to get credit for digging trails, totally genius. Eventually life would catch up with Stevie and he left the school system and Adam managed to stick it out. After I moved it was easier to stay in contact with Adam than it was with Stevie. I never knew where he (Stevie) would live and if he even had a phone number. The days when I did get to see him and watch him ride were some of the best.

You see over the years Adam and Stevie pushed and inspired each others riding. It would be hard to tell, since they had styles at total opposite ends of the spectrum. Now that I look back, their styles reflected their ways of life. Adam: well thought out, controlled and stylish, Stevie: full tilt, just did it and did it well. The last time I saw them both on bikes they were still on top of their game, both great riders in their own right. More importantly, they were both the kind of friends, little brothers, you would do anything for and you knew they would appreciate it to no end.

Like all stories there has to be an ending at least for half of the story. This weekend Stevie passed away.....it is finally starting to hit me, just as I type this.

BANKS, Ore. - A man was killed and two people were injured in a fiery car crash near here Sunday evening.

Authorities identified the man killed as 23-year-old Steven Brandenburg.

The two injured people, 23-year-old David Baynes of Hillsboro and a 17-year-old girl whose name was not released, were taken to an area hospital, where they remained Monday. Their condition was not known.

The sheriff's office said the 17-year-old girl was listed as a runaway and is in the custody of the Oregon Department of Human Services.

According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the crash occurred on Highway 47 about two miles south of Banks about 5:45 p.m. Police said a car with three people inside failed to make a sharp corner, hit a power pole and rolled at least once, causing it to catch fire.

The driver, David Baynes, and the girl, who was in the front passenger seat, were able to escape while Brandenburg, who was sitting in the back, was not. When firefighters arrived, the vehicle was engulfed in flames. It was not known whether the Brandenburg was alive when the car caught fire, the sheriff's office said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Alcohol and speed appeared to be factors in the crash, the sheriff's office said.

The highway was closed as police investigated the crash.

Investigators are trying to find a witness who was driving a silver or light blue pickup truck and stopped to help just after the crash occurred. The witness might have seen the car before it crashed and might have "vital information" for the investigation, the sheriff's office said.

Forest Grove New Times

Fuck what do you say? This another friend lost to drunk driving and it doesn't get any easier. Drinking and driving is not a good idea trust me. Stevie was a good friend to so many of us in the scene and I guarantee even though we haven't seen him some time, we often wondered about him. Steve I will miss you and I wish I could have helped somewhere in your path to point or bump you I another direction. You were a fucking awesome friend and thanks for all of the good times you brought with you be it digging in a monsoon out in the woods or building that fucking box jump in your drive way that didn't exactly make the home life any easier. You were always a legit and stand up person and TRUE G. RIP.

posted by pdxbmx @ 9:26 PM