Daily Inspiration: Meet Emilio Bellomo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emilio Bellomo

Hi Emilio, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a 28 year old, Grateful Dead obsessed skateboarder who grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada… The day I was born my dad brought in a CD player to the delivery room and the first thing I ever heard was Jerry Garcia’s cover of ‘The Way You Do The Things You Do’, originally written by The Temptations.

My interest in skateboarding began getting serious about skateboarding when I turned 9 years old and it has been a core part of my life ever since. Skateboarding is the most important part of my life to my, along with my wife, and has taught me endless life lessons.

This passion gives me direction in life, allows me to tune out everything else in my life that bogs me down day today and causes me to forget my purpose.
I recently lost my younger brother, Eli, in 2021 to the Fentanyl crisis we are facing here in America and it changed me from inside, out. I would love to in the future create a program that can show troubled teens how much good skateboarding can do in their lives and keep them on a straight path. My brother could have used something like that. Although it would be a small contribution to the ever-growing issue we are faced with daily, I think people everywhere need to do anything they can to get the people they walk shoulder to shoulder with back on track.

I’ve had my own struggles with addiction and substance abuse, but decided to turn my life around in 2018. I am over 5 years clean from my own alcoholism and poor lifestyle choices. Eli was on his way there as well but the universe had different plans in teaching him the lessons came here to learn.

Today I skate hard for my brother, and for anyone who is struggling. For those who struggle with self-medicating with alcohol and other substance; I am living proof that you can take what life deals you head on and not have to numb the way it makes you feel. I’m proud to be able to say that but I’m no better than anyone else for it, I was just lucky enough to see clearly in time. I hope my story helps to inspire a similar positive change in your life. Wherever you are, I’m talking to you.

☮︎ What a long strange trip it’s been ☮︎

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Growing up in Las Vegas, there were plenty of paths that could have taken me down the wrong road. I don’t think my life would be as positive if I didn’t have something to progress at through those formative years.

I gravitated back to the darker sides of myself in my later teenage years and began turning to substance abuse to cope with common life problems. I’m thankful to have broken away from it when I did before I had started to feel like a lost cause, I now know that there is no such thing.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Everyone in skateboarding has their own little bubble of what makes them stand out. Mine would probably be the fact that I’m just as obsessed with music and the possible healing power it provides as I am with skateboarding itself.
I love to have my dog Milton with me no matter where it is, we ride together everywhere.

As far as my skating, I take pride in keeping the core aspects of it alive. Which means to never stop doing it how it was originally done- out in the streets and cities where the grime is.

That being said, parks and ramps are good too, it’s all about the balance.

What makes you happy?
There are a handful of things that make me truly happy, one of them is clearly skateboarding.

One of the major things that makes me truly happy is balance. Being able to work hard and support my wife and dog in our little apartment all while not losing motivation to do what I’m passionate about keeps me going.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/onehundredmil
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@emiliobellomo

Image Credits
Photos shot by Bug Barnes instagram.com/bug.barnes