By admin 
Marc Johnson, a legendary figure in Bay Area skateboard history, died on May 26, according to San Francisco-based skateboarding magazine Thrasher.
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Johnson, a professional skateboarder who had many notable sponsorship deals over his career, was 49.
No cause of death was mentioned, and there was no word as of Wednesday morning of any memorial services being planned.
Johnson, who was most directly connected to San Jose’s celebrated skateboard scene, will be remembered as one of the most influential street skaters of recent years.
He inspired countless thousands of young and old riders to try out new tricks and methods, and generated interest from skaters and non-slaters alike, with his awe-inspiring skateboarding YouTube videos.
Word of Johnson’s passing was originally made public via social media posts from Thrasher Magazine, which were attributed to fellow San Jose skateboard icon Louie Barletta, who turned pro in 2003.
“As I write this, the reality still hasn’t fully set in. It was less than a month ago that Marc came to San Jose to hang out,” Barletta wrote in the post. “He was sober, healthy, and full of life. We had a blast reminiscing about the old days. He seemed genuinely excited about the future. He even extended his ticket by a couple of days so he could explore some of the old haunts around San Jose.
“When it came time to drop him off at the airport, he handed me an envelope. I waited until I got home to open it. Inside was a three-page list of his hopes and dreams for the future. Never in a million years did I imagine that less than a month later, he would be gone.”
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Barletta goes on to describe Johnson as “a genius and a tortured soul who “wanted to be remembered for his skateboarding, not for his failures or shortcomings.”
“He was just a poor kid from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who grew up in a trailer at the end of a dirt road,” Barletta writes. “Yet he made it out, traveled the world and touched so many lives. He will live on through the video parts that nobody can re-create. He gave opportunities to people who might never have had a chance otherwise.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, Marc Johnson was the single most influential person in my life. Everything he did was art. He was endlessly creative and always tried to elevate his friends and everyone around him.”
Johnson had relocated from North Carolina to San Jose by the early ’90s (if not before), which is where and when he helped form Tiltmode Army, a now legendary skateboarding collective that featured a number of now-well-known names (including Barletta, Matt Eversole and Jerry Hsu). They ruled the streets and, later, TV screens, as their videos made their way through multiple VHS players and more people learned about their casual, cool San Jose street riding adventures.
Yet, even in a league of great talents, Johnson stood out – thanks to his seemingly effortless and fearless creativity. He would eventually be recognized as an all-time great street skateboarder. Indeed, he won Thrasher Magazine’s Skater of the Year award in 2007.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, Marc Johnson was the single most influential person in my life,” Barletta reflects. “Everything he did was art. He was endlessly creative and always tried to elevate his friends and everyone around him. He opened doors for guys like me and Jerry, and single-handedly put San Jose back on the map. Marc had the golden touch-whether it was on a skateboard, creating brands, or developing ad campaigns.
“He was one of the most talented and creative people to ever step on or off a skateboard.”
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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 10:14 AM.