Burton Snowboards Founder Jake Burton Carpenter Dead at 65

Burton Snowboards founder Jake Burton Carpenter has died aged 65 following a battle with cancer, CNN reports. Often cited as the man responsible for bringing snowboarding to the mainstream, Carpenter helped the sport become an Olympic event beginning with the 1998 Nagano Winter Games.

"It is with a very heavy heart that I share the news that Jake passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his family and loved ones as a result of complications from recurring cancer," wrote Burton's co-chief executive officer John Lacy in an email to employees on Thursday. "He was our founder, the soul of snowboarding, the one who gave us the sport we all love so much."

Carpenter had only revealed his illness to his employees less than two weeks before he passed away on Wednesday. "This all happened very sudden, and it’s a tremendous loss for his family, his friends and all of you," Lacy added. "As a start of our celebration of Jake’s life, I’d encourage everyone to do what Jake would be doing tomorrow, and that’s riding. It’s opening day at Stowe, so consider taking some turns together, in celebration of Jake."

He was previously diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2011, and he told his employees he was fighting cancer again earlier this month in a heartfelt letter. "As much as I dread what is facing me, it’s easier to deal with when you know that you have a family that will carry on," he wrote. "I feel the same way about my company, my friends and our sport. I will be back, but regardless, everything is in good hands, which is an amazing feeling when entering this zone of uncertainty."