To mark the second anniversary of Ben Raemers' tragic passing tomorrow, Converse Cons have teamed up with The Ben Raemers Foundation in order to release a special collaborative reworking of their One Star Pro shoe.
Following Ben's death to suicide on May 14th 2019, The Ben Raemers Foundation was established by Ben's family and friends, in hope of combating the stigma surrounding mental health issues within the skateboard community. In the last few weeks, Lucy Raemers - Ben's 'two year apart twin' and chair of the Foundation - has guested on Mat Lloyd's Skateboarder And... podcast, whilst professional skateboarder Chris Jones has starred in the third of the charity's SMiLe films. Be sure to check both of those out if you have yet to do so.
Converse Cons' special One Star Pro shoe - one of Ben's personal favourite models - is available from tomorrow, and comes offered in Ben's signature navy blue and white colourway, complete with meaningful modifications that have been handled by Ben's best friend and chair of the Foundation, Rob Mathieson. The innersoles feature a skate photo and portrait of Ben, shot by Alex Irvine, the soles and spare laces feature Ben's 'SMiLe' tattoo, the tongues display the charity's logo, with Ben's iconic silhouette embossed on the heel.
To coincide with the launch of the shoe, Converse Cons have also donated $25,000 to the Foundation, and have partnered with the suicide prevention training charity LivingWorks to assist in delivering its message.
The shoes will be available globally from tomorrow, so please pick up a pair and proudly sport some Ben on your feet whilst supporting some essential causes. Please visit Grassroots if you're personally struggling, or would simply like to find out more information on suicide prevention.
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