Family As of February 2013, Jan Marnell is involved in three ventures in the television/film industry: the
HAMILTON trilogy at Pampas Produktion AB, Creative Director of Content Group Africa (CGA), and a freelance producer and consultant under the title "Long Rock". Jan Marnell is a Swedish citizen who also holds an
Australian Permanent Residency Visa and studied at Melbourne, Australia's
Swinburne University of Technology. According to his
LinkedIn profile, Jan Marnell is "interested in any local or international project that's making a difference."
Diabetes In a 2008 interview with British online magazine
Caught in the Crossfire, Marnell explained the relationship between alcohol use and his diabetes: That's my no no. I had to cut the alcohol out of my diet. I'm diabetic y'see. One of my best mates Dustin Dollin called me one night and was like "Hey Lewis, you should come out, meet us for some drinks and we'll party". Met up with him in the city at this place called Pony Bar in Melbourne, little place where everybody knows each other. I went there hung out, not long at all. Maybe like 4 hours. I had maybe 6 beers, didn't really get drunk, went home and woke up in the morning. Went to have a sip of water and as soon as I swallowed it, I just started throwing up! Anytime I tried to eat or drink I would just throw up. I did that for 2 days and then went to the doctor who sent me to the emergency room. That's when I had to quit drinking because I nearly died. Marnell explained in a 2010 interview with
ESPN, "I really have to monitor my blood sugar levels a lot and make sure I always got some sweet stuff with me in case the levels drop too low." Marnell further stated that he could "live pretty free" but in terms of food, "a salad ain't gonna cut it; I need wholesome."
The Chrome Ball Incident: "Keep glucose in EVERY room in your house, even your bathroom. I don't want any other human being to be affected this way when, if you take these steps, it can be avoided. Diabetes is not a terrible disease, there are much worse. If you have it – manage it! This is the message Lewis would give you." Campbell also stated in his introduction to the
Chrome Ball tribute, "Lewis still had a long life to live with his beloved wife Nami (who he only married late last year) and if his diabetes was managed a little better in those last months, he may still be here with us."
Marriage Marnell met his longtime partner Nami in New York, US in 2005 and the latter's mother described the event as "two souls colliding". Marnell proceeded to study the Rastafari movement while he lived in New York with Nami. After receiving a student grant, Nami later relocated to Melbourne, Australia and the couple then lived in accordance with Rastafari principles. Rodriguez spoke of Nami in an April 2013 interview: "... she came in and found him. I feel for her because it must have been the most crushing moment of her life [Marnell's death]." A statement from Marnell's mother Janet Marnell-Brown was then published by European skateboard magazine
Sidewalk: FYI and to clear up any quandries[sic] relating to Lewis' sad & untimely passing, he had a massive hypoglycemic reaction which did not respond to ingested glucose. He was at home and was discovered by his wife around 6.30 on Friday night Melb time. It was not possible to resuscitate him and we are all still trying to come to terms with this tragedy. We ask everybody to send out thoughts and prayers of love and comfort. Please keep his memory alive and let this not be a terrible waste. Marnell had released Almost and Nike video parts in the 18 months prior to his death:
5-Incher and
The SB Chronicles – Vol. 1, respectively. Eight months prior to his death, Marnell also appeared in the
Transworld Skateboarding video ''The Cinematographer's Project'' as part of Middlebrook's Australian montage section, alongside skateboarders such as
Jake Duncombe, Nick Boserio and
Matt Mumford. Song stated on his Instagram profile: "@lewismarnell you are a true inspiration brotha and will be missed thank u for showing the world your amazing gifts, and thank u for being such a positive,kind and giving friend to all! RIP". Song then published another photograph on 21 January 2013 with the following caption: "Shot this a while back!! reminded me of #lewismarnell 🙏 !! freedom is a gift and love and respect for each other makes for a better world !! #sorryboutpreaching". Marnell's other teammates Cooper Wilt and Haslam also posted tributes on their respective Instagram profiles; Wilt wrote: Today was rough one... Woke up to the news that Lewis Marnell had passed away. A great friend and teammate for the last 6 and a half years. Things just won't be the same without him — he's gone too soon but I'm glad to know that he made the most of his life! He travelled nonstop, met and married a great girl, and got to skateboard for a living — all with a huge smile on his face. Gonna miss him and remember him always, a true legend — Lewis Marnell!! On 20 January 2013, Haslam posted a photo of Marnell seated on a purpose-built bicycle that Marnell had constructed, whereby a set of speakers is situated on a platform at the front of the bicycle. Luis Cruz, Almost's brand manager, posted the following tribute on the Almost Skateboards Instagram profile: "We are privileged to have had Lewis Marnell part of the Almost family. He will be loved and remembered for ever. RIP brother… you will be greatly missed." Fellow Nike team riders Rodriguez and O'neill published tributes on the Internet. The Nike Skateboarding website featured a large photo of Marnell on its homepage and published the following tribute: It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we are to inform you of the passing of our longtime professional rider friend, Lewis Marnell. A skater whose incredible trademark pop could only be matched by the warmth of his smile, Lewis was an amazing person both on and off his board and will be truly missed. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends. Rest In Peace. Marnell's death occurred during the production of the second volume of the
SB Chronicles video series and he had not yet released a signature model shoe with the brand. All four of the major skateboarding media outlets in the US—
Transworld Skateboarding,
Skateboarder and
Thrasher—published specific tributes for Marnell. The tribute from
Thrasher magazine, published on 19 January 2013, stated: As skateboarders we bond together as one true global family. When one of us passes, we all feel the pain. Anyone will tell you that Lewis Marnell was a great person, both on and off his board. We miss him way too much already, but we won't forget. In 2012 Marnell filmed a "Firing Line" segment for
Thrasher at the Melbourne Museum while wearing an
Australian Aboriginal flag T-shirt. The editor of
Skateboarder magazine Jaime Owens published a photo tribute to Marnell on 23 January 2013 that was accompanied by a written passage—the final section read: He made us listen to
reggae constantly in the van while he was riding shotgun and I hate reggae but it was alright because Lewis ruled. He was a genuine and very humble guy that I felt immediately close to, like we had been friends for a long time. I still can't believe that Lewis is gone. My thoughts go out to all of friends, families and fans around the world. You will be missed brother. R.I.P. Lewis Marnell 1982–2013. Owens initially posted a "rest in peace" message on the magazine's website on 19 January 2013: "Details are still coming in but our thoughts [sic] and prayers go out to Lewis' family and friends. We will miss you brother. R.I.P." The Berrics website, co-owned by professional skateboarders
Steve Berra and
Eric Koston, was dedicated to Marnell on 21 January 2013, and the following words were published on its cover page: "We will see you in another life and it will be much more grand than this one. Until then, you will be missed our brother." Berra then introduced the day of dedication by writing, underneath a black-and-white silhouette photograph of Marnell: He didn't come very often, but when he did, we were always in such awe how a guy so nice and so good skated to the beat of his own drum without feeling the pressure of having to skate to everyone else's. Usually, a guy with the kind of talent Lewis had would have a style and look that you've all seen before, the fact that he didn't is what made him even more special. In honour of him, we're taking today to post those times where he blessed the Berrics with his original style and one of a kind presence. He will be missed dearly by his friends, his family, and the entire world of skateboarding. – sb Marnell filmed a "Trickipedia Tuesdays" segment for the Berrics, in which he performs a "nollie bigspin heelflip", a "Mini Bangin!" as well as an edition of "Text Yoself Beefo Yo Wreck Yoself" with professional skateboarder Darrell Stanton. On 24 January 2013, skateboard videographer
Fred Mortagne—responsible for
Flip Skateboards'
Sorry video and most of the videos of the Cliche skateboard company—published a video on his YouTube channel that featured Marnell and Dollin in Melbourne, Australia, as they filmed and skateboarded with a touring Cliche team in 2003. Mortagne wrote an accompanying
blurb: Then we came to Melbourne in 2003 with the Cliché team to film for
Bon Appétit, and him and Dustin Dollin took really good care of us, bringing us to their super good spots.
Lucas [Puig] and Lewis clicked together pretty good. There was a bunch of tricks Lucas wanted to do, but Dustin was always "no Lewis already did it on that spot!".
Skateboarding Australia (SbA), the government-funded peak body for skateboarding in Australia, published a tribute on its website. Campbell, who is also SbA's online manager, wrote: An extremely gifted, generous-souled human left us over the weekend. The skateboarding world bows its collective head in disbelief that Lewis Marnell has passed away. Lewis was a global citizen who had friends and navigated adventures on every portion of the planet. We will miss you Lewis. You will continue to inspire for generations to come. Wishing all the strength to his friends and family during this devastating time. and a mural was painted at a skatepark in Australia. As of 25 January 2013, an additional two murals were completed in Melbourne as tributes to the late skateboarder—Jonas Marnell painted both murals in the suburb of
Fitzroy; also, both murals were painted with aerosol paint on roller doors. The first mural is a reproduction of Marnell's first professional skateboard graphic with Almost, while the second mural depicts an image of Marnell's head in Rastafarian colours, with an encircled "RIP LEWIS" written underneath. Skateboard videographer Jason Hernandez compiled a film tribute for the 15th Transworld Skateboarding Awards event that was held in Hollywood, California, US. The video is entitled
One Love and Hernandez published a written accompaniment: We lost a skateboarder, a friend, and most of all a truly good person. Lewis lived his life with Diabetes, the kind were you'd need to check your blood for its insulin levels and give your self a shot sometimes twice a day. Oh he'd let you know every day he had diabetes, he'd ask before every spot, "Oi – how far is the nearest store, Oi – I need to eat, Oi – how long are we gonna be here? I need food" I look back at this and smile, at the time I'd be like, "c-mon really…?" He was really good at misplacing his insulin pen, I helped him find it quite a few times, and remember how psyched he'd be to find it under his mess of shopping bags he'd bring on every session, OHHHH the shopping bags – they'd be rustling around making all sorts of noise in the car, hotel room; he'd have all his gummy worms, sour patch kids, all sorts of sugary foods to keep his levels were they needed to be. Lewis was legitimately a good person, he cared about what was going on in your life, he'd stop to talk with anyone, I mean anyone… A bum, the random lurker you don't want to talk to at the spot, anyone… We'd always be waiting on him cause he met some new friend at the skate spot/or wherever we stopped the car. I miss you Lewis I hate to say I truly took you for granted and am sorry for every time I made you eat Subway cause I couldn't figure out your diet, I wish I could tell you all this in person… but I can't. So next time I will try and let the people I see daily know that I appreciate them, and stop to talk with them just a little longer. R.I.P Lewis. Love you bud. In his
Skateboarder magazine tribute from the April/May 2013 issue, Craig concluded by stating: "He was a great man, husband, son, brother, uncle, mentor, friend, and skateboarder. We are all better for having him in our lives and his spirit will be with us forever."
Funeral The memorial event for Marnell was held at the
St Kilda Town Hall in
St Kilda, a bayside suburb of Melbourne, Australia that is also the location of Janet Marnell-Brown's home—the funeral was attended by more than 100 skateboarders and was held on 5 February 2013. Marnell is survived by his wife and family. ==Videography==