My Good Friend
Jason (Ghostrider) Maloney passed away in a tragic kitesurfing accident on Monday November 16, 2020. This incredibly sad and shocking news stopped the whole kitesurfing community here in Toronto and in many places around the world in its tracks. Jason was an avid kitesurfer who was on the water nearly every day. He was very experienced and highly skilled at the sport he loved so much. Every kiter he encountered on all the many beaches he launched from and landed on was touched by his ever-glowing optimism and joy in life.
For me personally, apart from his being an incredible kiter, magician, musician, and a real friend, he was truly an amazing person. He had a special gift that made everybody around him feel good and joyful. There always was a bright aura of positive energy around him, and he knew how to live in the present moment. His optimism was infectious and inspiring.
We spent a lot of quality time kiting together at various locations around the GTA as well as in Mexico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. We spent endless hours talking about kitesurfing over good meals and even just over the phone. We shared our self-discovered techniques, observations, tips, and equipment tweaks. It was fun. It was always fun. I truly miss Jason’s smile and the enthusiasm that he shared so abundantly with all of us. Kite on in peace, Jason.
Rick Anderson – Jason’s lifelong friend wrote:
“Rest in peace to my best friend for life: Jason Maloney, brother of the brush (renaissancepainters.ca) and my best friend, every day, all day, for the last 40 yrs. Jason was a hero to me. What you see in the picture is what he gave to every single person he ever met: a glowing and energetic presence. …..
….. We lived and breathed every moment doing tricks for random groups of people… whether it was after high school basketball games, a University of Toronto pub crawl or a kids party on the weekend. We had the same goal: We wanted to amaze everyone we met. He was 100% upbeat and positive and left everyone feeling like they could conquer the world. …..
….. If you want to in any way honor his memory, you will find it in yourself to be a little more upbeat and positive to ***anyone*** you come into contact with. If the person to whom your attention is focused on leaves feeling better about themselves and about what life has to offer them, then you will have just channeled Jason’s Spirit, as that was his sole ambition in life: to be everyone’s best friend.”
