philfell Posted October 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 I hate to bring such bad news this time of year, just as everyone is gearing up for the start of another season. Yesterday the world of alpine snowboarding lost a great friend and long time supporter. Chuck Bolden (known by most here at Dragon Fly Jones or "The Carve") has been battling cancer for more than a year. He finally was able to receive a bone marrow transplant about a month ago and soon after was labeled "cancer free" from his doctors. We all thought he was out of the woods and we would see him on the hill this winter. At this time details are sparce, but from what I can gather he came down with an infection that was too much for his body to fight. Chuck was a mentor and inspiration to many riders, from weekend-only hardboot shredders to world cup veterns. He was loved and respected by everyone who was fortunate enough to cross his path. During his struggles over the past year he always made the best of it. There is a story that kinds of sums up the type of person he was: Chuck was scheduled to receive his transplant one weekend, but complications came up with the transportation of it from the doner hospital. So instead of sitting around the house sulking he goes out and enters a road bike race (Chuck also races and coaches road and mtn bikes in Colorado). For obvious reasons he was not able to finish the race, but he still went for it while cancer ridden and days after a chemo treatment. When he told me this, I was like what the hell were you thinking.....He just said these no need for him to stop doing what he loved while he was still able to do it. Sorry my writing skills are so poor that this won't do you your true justice. Chuck we'll miss you. You will always be a brother to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big mario Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 Very sorry to hear this. I have heard many stories about Chuck, and was hoping to ride/meet him when he got better :( mario Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 damn. had no idea he was sick. lymphoma? leukemia? seems like everywhere we look these days someone has cancer. damn. RIP, man. didnt know him but he seemed really cool. ****. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 damn. that sucks. so sorry to hear - just lost someone else that way. condolences to his family and friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldkey Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 ....but found him to be a great ambassador for the sport. He was always friendly, someone to look for when you needed a hand. Always, always loved reading his posts.....loved his willingness to debate. Great guy. He will be missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 he was a good cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.T. Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 Sad, absolutely sad... I did not know Chuck directly, but heard absolutely wonderful things about him from his fellow racers, fellow coaches, and former students. RIP DFJ, may your slopes always be covered in snow and groomed to perfection! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/search.php?searchid=480683 not sure if searches are timed. Threads he started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nekdut Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 Searches are timed. Try this one: http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/search.php?do=process&showposts=0&starteronly=1&exactname=1&searchuser=dragon+fly+jones Sad news Phil. Thanks for letting us know. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 Aw, no no no no. Im gonna miss shaking hands with him, when I see him at races at Copper. That guy's a real sweet guy. Chuck Bolden, you'll be missed. Wish I had the opportunity to train with you, bro, at the time when you were a coach at Team Summit. Thanks for being a "true" bro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverchick Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 Even though I never got a chance to meet or write him, it's always sad when you loose a fellow carver to any illness. My heartfelf prayers go out to his family and may God keep his angel right where he belongs, standing next to him. RIP DFJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 always enjoyed dfj's posts here. huge loss to the carving community :( enjoy every day out there people it sounds like dfj did wiping a tear........RIP Dragon Fly Jones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 My thoughts are with his family and real-world friends. Those of us who knew him only on-line will still miss him for his sense of humour and depth of knowledge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ-PS Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 Also enjoyed DFJ's posts and his depth of knowledge. BOL is less for having lost a brother. Prayers for those who knew him personally. Maybe one of your could hand out some black armbands on his home race course this year? May God bless his family and friends in a tough time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil sunday Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 Chuck was a man of character... a story about him was when I had one of my kids on the roundtop team go to college out in boulder. chuck took jon under his wing and got him set up with matt drinker at eldora. throughout the whole time of jon's relocation chuck and i would email from time to time, and always had the best interest of the new kid-- whom he had not met yet. this news strikes me, and a simple tribute is all i can do right now. -------------------- may the sun and wind be at your back. may the snow pile high, and enjoy eternal first tracks DFJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncermak Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 When I opened this thread, I was expecting to read funny stories about Chuck (as in...lets rip on DFJ to get this season kicked off....), not to recieve such sad news. I first met Chuck at the USASA Nationals at Angelfire. He was setting course with Phil and Anton. They were the first people I had met from BOL, and the first professional coaches I got to know off of the east coast. Each year I heard him say this was it and he was retiring, and each subsequent season, I was psyched to see him back at the top of training course at Nationals. Over the past 4 years, I have learned about coaching, both on the snow, and off the snow from Chuck. Mostly, I learned that as serious as we all take racing, it still has to be fun. The athletes he coached, and all of the racers who knew him, never wore a frown for long. I am priveleged to have been able to call Chuck my friend, and will be forever grateful for the lessons I have learned from him. Rest In Peace, Dragonfly Jones... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wavechaser Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 wow...RIP DFJ indeed...we're gonna miss you Chuck. Happy trails in the afterlife brother...wow. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Savidge Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 Hey My name is Walker Savidge, Chuck was my coach for several years and a deep friend who always new how to brighten up each and every day. If anybody knows anything about a memorial service or funeral and could let me know that would be awesome. thanks. Walker walkersavidge@hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiveBomber Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 Damn, thats too bad, though I never met him in person seemed like a nice guy, there should be more people like him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsp75 Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 I really don't what to say as I am really having a hard time dealing with this news.I believe chuck had told me what he had was myo dysplasia (i am sure i am spelling that wrong) He described it as a pre-lukemia. I am thankful to phil for posting this as i tried to inform as many people as i could that knew chuck. He was a wonderful person and just wanted to help people out in every way. Always put others first. He was one of my best friends of all time. I loved how everytime he got out of he hospital he was on his bike and even had his bike trainer set up in his hospital room at one point to keep him from the boredom of the hospital. if anyone needs info on services for chuck please feel free to email me at tgroo@aol.com.... My thoughts and prayers go out to his family...I will truly miss this guy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Old Bastard Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 I never met Chuck Bolden. I only knew him as Dragon Fly Jones right here on BOL. In his posts he always gave good advice and had a good word to say about people. He was a class act. Vale Chuck Bolden. Ride on ride on ! Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 Phil, It would be great to have a tribute to Chuck to celebrate his life. Many of us never met him but wished we had. He had so much great info to contribute here. Maybe just a few pics. He really seemed like an outstanding human being. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casanovaracing Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 No words will ever truly express what a great man Chuck was, as everyone who has met him (in person or on-line) will attest he really is one of the finest people our sport will ever know! Phil's story, although typical of Chuck, only scratches the surface of his uncommon approach to adversity, we are all lucky to have had such a roll model. Rest In Peace Friend! Adam Casanova Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 Never had the opportunity to meet Chuck, but I sure enjoyed his contribution here! Always a positive vibe from him - he will be missed. Thoughts and prayers with him and his family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR. JOHN DEERE ! Posted October 24, 2007 Report Share Posted October 24, 2007 i had the pleasure of being one of chucks athletes w/ team summit. and i'm still amazed at the sacrifices that he would make for us and our sport. even though he was being paid for his services, he always went above and beyond. he treated coaching like a 24hr around the clock job. he never quit and would have done anything for any one of us. whether it was taking our boards to colorado ski deals and tuning them well into the night or picking up parts for our boots at bomber. the examples are endless. the ones who knew him, are all blessed to have met chuck because he considered so many of us to be his friend. joe culgin walker savidge has some info on the dates and time for the wake. you can contact him thru bomber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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