Palmetto boy puts heart into skateboard line

Thursday, August 28, 2008

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Jacob Brockhoff, 11, sits next to one of his skateboards from his business, "Broken Hart Bords."

MANATEE COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- An 11-year-old boy has created a line of tee-shirts and skateboards after doctors told him he couldn't skateboard while he healed from heart surgery.

Jacob Brockhoff, of Palmetto, was born with Tetralogy of the Fallot, a heart defect that limits blood flow to the lungs. In June, he was told he needed surgery and that he had to give up his favorite sport while he healed.

The news broke his heart but instead of moping around Brackhoff decided to do something positive.

"I was complaining to my mom and she said 'go draw something' and maybe two hours later I came out with my drawing," he said.

Brockhoff drew a picture of a broken heart. His parents, John and Molly, said the drawing was inspiring.

"It gave him something to look forward to," John said. "He was all excited, it kind of took shift off of 'what if's' to 'yeah I'm manufacturing boards.'"

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Brockhoff says he decided if he couldn't skateboard he'd help others who could.

"Why ruin other people's dreams," he said.

So, with his parent's help, Brockhoff started designing a skateboard line called "Broken Hart Bords."

The incorrect spelling was an accident but his parents liked it that way so they left it.

Soon after hearing about Brackhoff's story, Champs Sports got in touch with him and came up with a plan to sell his tee-shirts and skateboards inside their store.

"Jacob had a neat niche here to be able to design a cool logo with a broken heart program," said Vice President of Marketing Champs Sports Rob Brodersen. "So, here's a way for us to get an opportunity to help his charities and him and at the same time do something good for the community."

Broderson says they're producing the shirts at no cost to the family and plan on giving them every dime earned.

Brockhoff's tee-shirts and skate boards are now for sale at the Champs Sports store at Desoto Square Mall in Bradenton. They're selling anywhere from $10 to $30.

Brockhoff, who is slowly getting back into skateboarding, says he plans on donating two-thirds of the money earned to the American Heart Association and American Heart Heroes.

He plans on using the remaining one-third for his medical bills and a college fund.

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