Contributed Photo George enjoying a ride on his skateboard at the Delaware Youth Center, in Callicoon.

The boy who loved skateboarding

Story by Kristina Sumfleth
CALLICOON — June 25, 2013 — Family members and friends recently gathered at the Delaware Youth Center in Callicoon as a memorial to their loved one, George Quinn, who was suddenly taken from them five years ago.
Quinn, 17, had been walking home on State Route 97 on June 6, 2008 when he was struck by a drunk driver illegally passing another vehicle. Quinn was then hit again by a second car, which then fled the scene. At the memorial, friends and family wore bracelets with the words “Don’t Drink and Drive.”
“We just kind of take it day by day. Every day that goes by makes him seem farther away. We give lots of hugs.” said Dawn Quinn, George’s mother.
This is the first memorial held in honor of George Quinn and the family hopes to continue having one every year.
“I felt that something needed to be done after five years,” stated Dawn. “His friends would always tell me that George hated to see people just sit around doing nothing.”
Far from the minds of George’s friends was “doing nothing” as they used the skate park at the Youth Center to its fullest extent at his memorial. The skaters would try different tricks and put to use the many ramps and rails that can be found at the park.
Most of the skate park’s features were a result of donations made to the family after George’s death.
Instead of taking the money, the family asked that it be donated to the skate park in Callicoon since it was such a large part of George’s life. He was a well-known figure and could frequently be seen riding his skate board around town and spending time at the Youth Center.
Donations were also made to the skate park in honor of Chad Sykes, an avid skateboarder who died a month later. Chad had graduated from Honesdale HS earlier that year.
George Quinn is survived by his parents, Jeffrey and Dawn Quinn; brothers, Jeffrey and Bryan Quinn; aunts and uncles, Sandra and Richard Quinn and Victor, Kathy and Nicholas D’Amato; and many cousins and friends.