RIP Jason “Ghostrider” Maloney
Very much loved, Jason Ghostrider Maloney passed away in a Cherry Beach kiteboarding accident on November 15th, 2020.
Send it one more time, kite brother, to infinity and forever.
Contribute to funeral expenses: https://everloved.com/life-of/jason-maloney/donate/
Funeral viewing: https://everloved.com/life-of/jason-maloney/funeral/
Obituary: It is with a massive sad and heavy heart that we graduating our forever loved Jason “Ghostrider” Maloney in Heaven! Our GTA community and kiteboarding community was blessed to have him as a family, friend, mentor, attentive ear, musician, magician, philosopher and perpetual joy spreader. Truly a special man!
So cliché, but he was taken doing what he loved to do. He touched the hearts and lives of so many. We are all devastated but if there is anyone you can picture looking down upon you and cheering on your every little accomplishment, kiting or otherwise… it’s Jason. Rest in Please husband, father, son and the most amazing friend., we will never fill the void and you will be forever missed. We love you Jason “Ghostrider”.
Learn more about Jason’s legendary WOO Global Leaderboard stats!
### Update ###
New Jason Ghostrider Maloney Cherry Beach Weatherflow Kiteboarding Wind Report And Listing
Rick Anderson
Rest in peace to Jason Maloney , brother of the brush (renaissancepainters.ca) and my best friend, every day, all day, for the last 40 yrs
Jason was a hero to me.
What you see in the video is what he gave to every single person he ever met: a glowing and energetic presence.
We just started a painting business together at age 23 and he would go on to have a profound affect on my life. Both personally and in business.
We were both basketball fanatics at competing high schools and at 17 He got me into magic and we would perform outside the Eaton Centre together on weekends doing our “street routine” and get crowds of 300+ people and make $30-$40 dollars for 3 20 minute shows.
Jason was much more skilled than me as he had a 13 year head start, so he was The Master and I was his student yet I got larger crowds so we would kid each other about that for the next 40 yrs.
We lived and breathed every moment doing tricks for random groups of people… whether it was after high school basketball games, a University of Toronto pub crawl or a kids party on the weekend.
We had the same goal: We wanted to amaze everyone we met.
He was 100% upbeat and positive and left everyone feeling like they could conquer the world.
He was a master at running a painting business and completely dominated the faux finishing market in Toronto long before it was fashionable, was a record holder in kiteboarding , could sing like an opera star, play the piano like Glen Gould and was a world class magician but perhaps most importantly, “best friend” to all he came into contact with.
We never argued once nor had raised voices towards one another in that entire 40 years. After his kiting accident a few years back we would talk on the phone, every day, for up to 12 hrs a day until he would fall asleep with me gently hanging up the phone at 1:00 a.m. That went on for 3 yrs as he was getting his strength and mo-jo back.
If you want to in any way honor his memory you will find it in yourself to be a little more upbeat and positive to ***anyone*** you come into contact with.
If the person to whom your attention is focused on leaves feeling better about themselves and about what life has to offer them then you will have just channeled Jason’s Spirit as that was his sole ambition in life: to be everyone’s best friend
quantumk
Of all the people I’ve met in recent years Jason was the one I really, really, wanted to get to know better. Every contact with Jason left me feeling lighter, happier, better. For many reasons, Jason had my greatest respect.
Jason and I really started to connect this year, always talking, sharing the stoke at Cherry. I could feel that he was very special – everything you are talking about here.
Mid-summer, I was invited to an after session dinner with Jason, Kent and Zbig, and discovered it was also his birthday, so, I gave him one of our We Love Kiteboarding hoodies. Jason loved it. Everyday after that I always saw him wearing the hoodie at Cherry Beach. He would always tell me how much it meant to him, that he would wear it non-stop for weeks on end.
I remember clearly the last time we talked, on the 15th, at Cherry Beach, just stopping in our tracks for a second, recognition, smiles, the wind was blasting, we were both lit up inside. In that moment we said hello I was so excited to see him. We only shared a couple of words. He had the magic in his eye – he would soon be riding, boosting, flying.
Jason had invited me to other after session dinners during the summer, and I always declined for one reason or another – taking for granted that there would be plenty more time to connect with Jason. Now, I deeply regret not saying yes to the additional invitations.
Seems from an early age Jason found his best path, his best purpose, in life and never let it go – a special calling, to connect with everyone, and leave them feeling better for it, always.
In honor of his memory, I will channel Jason’s Spirit, and be a best friend, every chance I get.
Thank you Rick for sharing your memories of Jason. I am deeply sorry for your loss. We are all here for you at this time.
Love & light to all of Jason’s family & friends everywhere.
Rick Anderson
Thanks bro. It means a lot to hear these little stories from his kiteboarding friends….none of whom I have ever met in person as that one the one side I only heard about…with me being in Vancouver for the last 23 yrs and him in Tee-oh. He wasn’t into “social media’ whatsoever and you won’t find a tweet or an Instagram picture posted by him showing the sport he fell in love with 15 years ago…..seemingly out of the blue. …so I am **so** grateful that, by chance it seems, someone put something together. After a long session on the water I would always get the call on the way home to his house in Pickering. That’s how I learned, first hand, about kiteboarding and some of the hazards and dangers involved. The whole notion of “self rescue” scared me to death and I would typically be heard saying: “what the hell am I listening too….kites landing in trees”?….and he would laugh it off and say that it was a small price to pay for the exhilaration he felt when kiting. I was preparing myself for this moment from the day he first got injured and started telling my son who was 15 at the time. “you better cheer up buddy….you never know when it’s going to be your last day on this earth”. ….”Uncle Loo…(Jason) had a close one there…it can happen to anybody”. Thanks again bro….and **you** stay safe out there. Peace. –Rick–
quantumk
So true, to live each day like it could be the last, because one day it will be. Jason lived his best life everyday – we could feel it.
Please, let me know if you’re ever coming to Tee-oh.
Bordon Vanbarr
I didn’t know him, but I am sure I saw him many times and looked on in awe- I’m a Laser sailor from an inner harbor club, and as i head out into the lake, I always marvel at the kites in the outer harbor. there are days when i wondered – WTF are the doing out there today? but you see the wind and waves and you know EXACTLY why they are there.. Over the years there have been times when i have got myself into a really bad place out on the lake and wondered – “How the Hell am i going to survive this?” It always comes to mind that I either will, and I’ll be back out tomorrow, or I wont, and I will depart this world, doing what I love. He sure was loved, and seems to have exited this world doing what he loved to do. Fair winds, Jason, from one sailor to another.
I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
– John Masefield
–
–
quantumk
Thank you, Brandon, for sharing your thoughts and poem here.
In part, the excitement of kiteboarding (for some) includes pushing limits, riding & flying outside the comfort zone, learning to become self-reliant under, and in some cases increasingly, challenging conditions.
Some riders love being on that edge, feeling alive, necessarily connected to their best potential. And the reason it feels like that is also because of the inherent consequences.
Pushing limits like this is routine life (for some), an endless search to experience just a little bit more.
And within that ebb and flow – we should always play it safe, follow best practice, lead by example and absolutely learn from the painful lessons that mother nature is always ever-ready to deliver.
Jason was a master of many arts and a masterful teacher of them as well.
This is perhaps his greatest lesson for us all.
Barb Saunders
I met Jason at Pickering Beach about 10 years ago when I would walk. I was always thrilled and excited to watch. I wanted to try kite boarding but Jason explained it was hard to learn and very dangerous. Being older than Jason, I thought it was good advice. He was always so positive and we would talk while he was working on his kites. One day he was so excited to get on the water that he left his car running and there he was out on the water flying and jumping. I was hesitant to approach his car knowing the amount of equipment he had in there. Luckily one of his friends showed up and I told him. He laughed, shut the car off and headed for the water. The last time I saw him was a couple years ago. He said hey why so down. We sat in our cars and talked. He was so understanding and helped me to feel better. Jason was an exceptional person. I’m so sorry for your loss to his family and friends. Fly on ghost rider on your journey to heaven. Barb
quantumk
Thank you, Barb, for sharing this very funny memory.
Kiteboarding brings with it an irresistible daily temptation, full of anticipation, the need to reconnect and flow within the full power of the natural elements, and finally letting go.
When we are within steps of the beach, and know our kites will be pumped and flying soon, yes, it is almost impossible to think about anything else – including a running car!
We all glowed in the presence of Jason. Let us aim to always keep on glowing – in his memory.