Joshua Farris

Devastating news, although I had been suspecting this for some time. Complete radio silence isn't usually good news and the lack of a Skate Americs spot definitely made me think this was coming. I hope he finds success and fulfillment in music, college, coaching, choreography, or whatever else he does next. Thanks to the magic of YouTube we will always have 2015 Nationals and 4CCs. I'm sad, but I completely understand why he made this decision. Life is long, he is young, and competitive figure skating is one of many many avenues available to him. It's not worth ruining your health and life and brain over.

Now I read the news and his article and his photos, I can't stop my tears in a train. I remember his 4cc as if it was only yesterday... I shall never see such a lyrical world of Joshua...

I'm heartbroken, he was someone who really gave something through his skating. I'm really sad, I didn't expected it because he's still so young, I have always been so hopeful about his comeback... sigh
I can only wish him the best for the future, if he'll be able to pass even only the 10% of his sensibility, musicality... to his future students, the figure skating world will be eternally grateful

UnsaneLily87 said:

Devastating news, although I had been suspecting this for some time. Complete radio silence isn't usually good news and the lack of a Skate Americs spot definitely made me think this was coming. I hope he finds success and fulfillment in music, college, coaching, choreography, or whatever else he does next. Thanks to the magic of YouTube we will always have 2015 Nationals and 4CCs. I'm sad, but I completely understand why he made this decision. Life is long, he is young, and competitive figure skating is one of many many avenues available to him. It's not worth ruining your health and life and brain over.

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I totally feel you about suspecting it. We heard NOTHING for almost a year. Not even a tweet about skating again. I had a feeling that this concussion may have been the one to end his competitive career. I'm so sad, he's my fave next to Max.

I never saw it coming. I knew it would be hard.

but

I spoke to him. I met him, in person, in March

he smiled, he laughed

there was nothing - no sign - i never knew

if i had known

i should have hugged him

karne said:

I never saw it coming. I knew it would be hard.

but

I spoke to him. I met him, in person, in March

he smiled, he laughed

there was nothing - no sign - i never knew

if i had known

i should have hugged him

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*hugs* I know how you feel. All week I've been emotional because there was a player on the Washington Capitals that was a fan favorite and who I was a fan of that was put as an unrestricted free agent and the team wasn't going to qualify him for the next season. I mean yes he wasn't the best player, but he wasn't given a ton of chances and only had played in 113 games in 2 1/4 seasons in the NHL starting when he first played his first game. And not a ton of ice time.... And now he's going onto a different team. I mean Caps fans knew about this since Monday, but still....such an emotional week and I had a few meltdowns. Though I found out I did see him play in ONE game. But I regret stuff.

Sorry for off-topic, but it's just that I know how you're feeling about this.

karne said:

I've been trying to suppress this thought all day so that I don't break down again but

I never got to see him skate in person

and now I never will.


:sad4: :sad4: :sad4:

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I wouldn't rule out the possibility of him doing an ice show. Maybe the stars will align and you'll still get a chance to see him.

I'm thinking he'll probably choreograph at some point too so in a way his skating will live on in our little world of figure skating. :yes:

I've been off the internet for the past two days so I just found out today. Devastated for Josh. The skating world will be poorer without his skating. I wasn't surprised when the assignments came out and be wasn't anywhere to be found.

Okay, so after spending the weekend thinking about this, I have some final thoughts on all of this. I apologize in advance if these seem randon:

1) I'm getting the impression from the icenetwork article that Joshua is still going to be able to make a full recovery. I'm thinking about from him saying that the doctors didn't recommend he quit skating; they just told him about risks.

2) I believe that even when you fully recover from a concussion, it's easier to keep getting them and the side effects could get worse and worse. I think Joshua made the right choice here. I can't imagine him trying to train the way his would need to with the risk every time he fell on a jump - and these skaters fall every day - a lot. There are a lot of G forces on your body when you do a double, much less a triple jump. Quad jumps are insane.

3) As sad as I am about his, I am relieved. Please don't think I am crazy, but I rarely have skaters in my dreams, but about two months ago I had a nightmare about Joshua in one. He was competing and went to do a 4T and fell hard.....and I woke up. Since then, I thought if there were serious enough risks, he should cut his losses and retire now.

4) I hope Damon Allen and someone else like Ben Agosto (who I believe just started about the World Ice Arena) or Jeffrey Buttle become good mentors to Joshua as he moves forward. That would help him a lot.

5) Completely shallow - I really likes how he looks in glasses. Maybe he just got his hair cut a bit short, but I liked a bit better when it is thicker on top.

6) @karne - we don't what skating he was able to do at that time. And he may have thought he still had a chance to be able to train without the risks.

7) I've been watching the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Rio. There's diver named Steele Johnson who made the 10m platform and syncho teams who talks of a horrific accident he had when he was 12 years old. He basically clipped his head on the 10m platform and when he hit the water split his scalp. It's a miracle it didn't kill him. He says he has to have his diving meets recorded because he sometimes can't remember them. I've wondered how much of that is his initial injury or that he is continuing to dive with G forces from 10m. And you know he still misses dives from that height sometimes. Imagine the impact on your entire body (including head) when that happens.

Steele is part of the "Gold Medal Families" documentary series on Lifetime network. Can't find a video clip of it on YouTube yet, but his parents had him continue diving because it would be better to him to potentially die doing something he loves than to live not having the chance to fullfill his dreams. Sorry, but I disagree in this case.

8) I have really enjoyed interacting with other fans of skaters on goldenskate. I think these fan threads are better than the randomness it is in the "Trash Can" part of FSUniverse (I post on there as ilovepaydays, BTW). I hope that whatever updates we get on Joshua's career we can still discuss them here. I see that many retired skaters have fan threads that are really popular.

I haven't seen any other support tweets from other skaters, but here's one from Tim Dolensky: https://twitter.com/timdolensky/status/749227524962463747.

Tim is always a class act. I believe it looks like Josh's mother responded.

musicfan80 said:

I haven't seen any other support tweets from other skaters, but here's one from Tim Dolensky: https://twitter.com/timdolensky/status/749227524962463747.

Tim is always a class act. I believe it looks like Josh's mother responded.

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Kind words from Tim. I'm kind of surprised there wasn't more social media outpouring from other skaters or Josh's friends like Joe Johnson and Angela Wang. I'm assuming they've talked to him in person, not judging them at all.

TSL covered Josh's retirement in their recent This n That video. Jenny seems to think that Josh is done with even exhibition work but we'll see. I don't think they have any insight other than what the IN article said. I think it would be great if TSL could get Josh on to talk more about his experience. Maybe in a few months.

I am also kind of relieved for him and us that he's made a decision. For months we've gotten no updates and now we have clarity. Still sad for what could've been but his health is way more important than mastering quads or winning Nationals.

apgold said:

Kind words from Tim. I'm kind of surprised there wasn't more social media outpouring from other skaters or Josh's friends like Joe Johnson and Angela Wang. I'm assuming they've talked to him in person, not judging them at all.

TSL covered Josh's retirement in their recent This n That video. Jenny seems to think that Josh is done with even exhibition work but we'll see. I don't think they have any insight other than what the IN article said. I think it would be great if TSL could get Josh on to talk more about his experience. Maybe in a few months.

I am also kind of relieved for him and us that he's made a decision. For months we've gotten no updates and now we have clarity. Still sad for what could've been but his health is way more important than mastering quads or winning Nationals.

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It may have to do with it coming out the Friday before a major holiday weekend (July 4th).

No idea about exhibition work - Jenny may be referring to him never being able to ANY jumps or I'm not sure about spins. Who knows how much skating he will get back.

I would be surprised if Josh did an interview with TSL, much less anytime soon. I actually thought when TSL came out Josh would have been one of the breakout interviews they would have done in summer 2013 along with Max Aaron, Jason Brown, Jeremy Abbott, etc., but he never did. I think if Josh was interested in doing an interview with them, it would have that season or the 2014-2015 season. Maybe Josh just isn't into interviews or likes TSL.

I was also a little surprised that we didn't see more reactions from other skaters on social media, but it might have to do with how little Josh uses these platforms himself. If that's not how you interact with someone you might not rush to tweet or instagram something, you might instead text or talk to that person face to face. Josh certainly seems like a very private person, so it's understandable that his friends and fellow skaters don't necessarily want to make a big public showing. It could be a mark of respect.

It probably doesn't help, like musicfan said, that it was announced before a holiday weekend, when many skaters are busy vacationing or working on new programs.

charmblade said:

I was also a little surprised that we didn't see more reactions from other skaters on social media, but it might have to do with how little Josh uses these platforms himself. If that's not how you interact with someone you might not rush to tweet or instagram something, you might instead text or talk to that person face to face. Josh certainly seems like a very private person, so it's understandable that his friends and fellow skaters don't necessarily want to make a big public showing. It could be a mark of respect.

It probably doesn't help, like musicfan said, that it was announced before a holiday weekend, when many skaters are busy vacationing or working on new programs.

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I have a feeling that Josh, being Josh, may have planned the announcement this way. He did not want mystery, but he did not want a big fuss either.

That said, I am glad that Tim D. posted, and that Jason posted his moving tribute that Tavi linked in Post #1037. (And Josh's mom also commented on Jason's post). That way we get to see what Josh meant to his fellow skaters as well.

:sad21:

apgold said:

... I think it would be great if TSL could get Josh on to talk more about his experience. Maybe in a few months. ...

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If Josh feel likes giving another interview down the road, my first choice would be Johanna Bear.
At the end of last season, it was her long and lovely interview with Josh that was published on FigureSkatersOnline.
One of her heartfelt tweets after the news of his retirement:

If Josh ever would be up for a video interview, I would note that Michael Buckley actually has had nice rapport with Josh in the past.
Although Buckley's style sometimes is too rah-rah-bouncing-off-the-walls-with-energy for me, he does weave some substantive questions into the IN Social Scene interviews -- and has gotten substantive answers in return. I do remember that he quickly was able to put soft-spoken Josh at ease.

(Although I have liked many of TSL's past interviews, they do not strike me as a good fit for Josh. Just my opinion.)

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musicfan80 said:

I haven't seen any other support tweets from other skaters, but here's one from Tim Dolensky: https://twitter.com/timdolensky/status/749227524962463747.

Tim is always a class act. I believe it looks like Josh's mother responded.

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apgold said:

Kind words from Tim. I'm kind of surprised there wasn't more social media outpouring from other skaters or Josh's friends like Joe Johnson and Angela Wang. I'm assuming they've talked to him in person, not judging them at all. ...

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charmblade said:

... it might have to do with how little Josh uses these platforms himself. If that's not how you interact with someone you might not rush to tweet or instagram something, you might instead text or talk to that person face to face. Josh certainly seems like a very private person, so it's understandable that his friends and fellow skaters don't necessarily want to make a big public showing. It could be a mark of respect. ...

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I did see a couple of additional supportive tweets to Josh from well-known skaters.

Chiming in to agree that it is both likely and understandable that other skater friends have been expressing their support to him privately -- away from social media.
As is his prerogative (of course), Josh himself did not tweet or re-tweet the links to the USFS announcement of his retirement or to the IN article -- although he obviously opened up to McCarvel for the article.
IIRC, over the last year, Josh's best-best-besties Damon, Lukas, Joe, and Angela have never once alluded on their social media to Josh's concussions -- even after the old IN article with Christy's quotes about his concussions and even after Josh's own bits of tweeting about the challenges of his recovery from the concussions.

I did love Tim's words of admiration for Josh and Tim's throwback photo with him.
Josh happened to mention in an old interview (long before his concussions) that when visiting Colorado Springs, Tim always stayed at his house. My memory is fuzzy, but I think Josh might have brought it up in the context of Tim as a fellow music-lover. Their friendship always has stuck in my mind, and when I saw Tim's photo of them as goofy kids together, it made me smile -- amid many tears for Josh.

I think it also might have to do with proximity. Remember, Timothy doesn't live in Colorado Springs, and Jason is away in California training. Max, Lukas, Damon, Joe etc, on the other hand, are in-house at the World Arena, and if Josh is at the rink coaching, they have probably seen him since the announcement, or maybe even knew before it hit Twitter.

Besides, we all know how emotional Josh is, and how emotional Jason is, can you imagine that phonecall? No wonder Jason hit up instagram first.

karne said:

Besides, we all know how emotional Josh is, and how emotional Jason is, can you imagine that phonecall? No wonder Jason hit up instagram first.

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Jason is also more active on Instagram/Twitter - but I've noticed that Jason's social media postings has been far less personal and more "professional" - I don't blame him given how unfortunately creepy some people can be. Add that to this being the time you are focusing on mastering new programs/jumps/spins/etc - it's a wonder they have time to post too much on social media, anyway.

In the meantime, at least Joshua appears to be enjoying catching Pokemons with his bromies. It's good that he is well enough that he can (reasonably) handle smartphone screens. Sometimes the brightness gives me a headache.

musicfan80 said:

Jason is also more active on Instagram/Twitter - but I've noticed that Jason's social media postings has been far less personal and more "professional" - I don't blame him given how unfortunately creepy some people can be. Add that to this being the time you are focusing on mastering new programs/jumps/spins/etc - it's a wonder they have time to post too much on social media, anyway.

In the meantime, at least Joshua appears to be enjoying catching Pokemons with his bromies. It's good that he is well enough that he can (reasonably) handle smartphone screens. Sometimes the brightness gives me a headache.

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That scruff and the glasses really suit Josh! Hope he is getting stronger day by day.

musicfan80 said:

In the meantime, at least Joshua appears to be enjoying catching Pokemons with his bromies. It's good that he is well enough that he can (reasonably) handle smartphone screens. Sometimes the brightness gives me a headache.

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That image could work as an album cover. Kinda has a Smiths/Morrissey vibe to it.

He looks handsome and well. I am glad he's out and about catching Pokemon rather than brooding in his Fortress of Solitude. I wonder if the Bahdiez and Max are on the same Pokemon team?

I am wondering about the glasses. I have never seen him wear them prior to the picture in The Article of Heartbreak. Could this be related to his concussion symptoms, do you think, or a coincidence?