He picked up a board at age 7 and never eased off the gas. By 12, he’d already carved his name into skate lore, stomping a lipslide down the legendary El Toro handrail, a spot that’s chewed up far more experienced riders. That performance caught the eye of Tony Hawk himself, who discovered him and put him on the Birdhouse team, a spot Loy has held for more than 20 years. From there, wins at some of the top amateur contests in the country elevated his career fast, and he grew up in front of the camera, Hurley campaigns, TV commercials and a steady rise through skateboarding at a young age.

Speed is the whole story with Loy. While plenty of skaters lean into slow, technical ledge work, he’s built his name on velocity: massive rails, brutal gaps, drops that make most people think twice before rolling up. His fearless energy carries over into his style off the board too, a rougher, counter-culture look that’s landed him in collaborations with names like ALICE Hollywood, among others.

But the clips only tell half of it. In candid interviews on shows like The Nine Club and Going Overdrive, Loy has opened up about the years he spent fighting addiction and mental health struggles that nearly ended everything. He didn’t pull through alone, family, close friends, and longtime figures in his life helped carry him through it. Today, he’s a dedicated advocate for mental health and addiction awareness, using his platform to support others fighting the same battles.

David Loy stands as living proof that staying in the game takes more than raw talent, it takes real grit. Clean, focused, and still dropping heavy parts like “XX,” he’s skating with a purpose that goes deeper than the trick itself, a genuine testament to what it looks like to fight for your life and win.