Dan Mancina: the world's most famous blind skater | Photo: Red Bull

Dan Mancina is a professional skateboarder known for being visually impaired and sharing clips of his skating on Instagram, where he has amassed a large following of fans.

He gained much attention and popularity on social media for his outstanding skateboarding skills and tricks.

The rider has a massive legion of fans who love to watch him skate and are inspired by him.

Daniel Mancina was born in Livonia, Michigan, on June 21, 1987.

The intrepid skater lost over 90 percent of his vision due to a hereditary disease called retinitis pigmentosa (RP), diagnosed when he was 13.

However, his health condition has not stopped him from pursuing his passion for sidewalk surfing and continuing to push the boundaries of the sport.

Despite being blind, Dan continued skating and fueling his talent.

Dan Mancina: the skater lost over 90 percent of his vision due to a hereditary disease called retinitis pigmentosa | Photo: Red Bull

Blind With a Vision

In fact, he has used his experiences as a blind skateboarder to inspire and motivate others to follow their dreams and passions, no matter their challenges or obstacles.

However, his vision impairment has required him to adapt his riding style and approach to navigate and perform tricks safely.

For example, he uses a probing cane to explore his surroundings and feel the terrain, and he relies on his other senses, such as touch and hearing, to guide him as he skates.

Mancina's vision loss also stopped him from driving and biking.

He described himself as an "average skater" before losing his vision but has continued to develop his skills and approach to skateboarding through careful planning and exploration.

Dan Mancina is also a certified massage therapist.

Dan Mancina: the blind skater uses a probing cane to explore his surroundings and feel the terrain | Photo: Red Bull

Mancina's Skatepark

In order to help make skateboarding more accessible to people with vision impairments, Dan has started a fundraising campaign to build the world's first adaptive skatepark designed explicitly for people with vision impairments.

He has already bought the land and worked with a company called New Line Skateparks to design the park's features.

The adaptive skatepark will have unique features and characteristics to make it easier and safer for people with vision impairments to skate.

These might include things like the size and shape of the obstacles, the length of ramps and rails, and other features to help guide skaters and make the park more accessible.

It will also have a spacious layout and a tactile ground to help those with vision impairments navigate the park.

Mancina intends to use it as a space for blind schools, organizations, rehabilitation centers, and other adaptive sports organizations.

The park aims to introduce visually impaired and blind kids to skateboarding and potentially have skateboarding included in the Paralympics by 2028.

Dan Mancina: the blind skateboarder performs a frontside crooked in Detroit | Photo: Red Bull

An Inspiration For All Skaters

Overall, Dan Mancina is an impressive and inspiring person who has overcome many challenges to follow his dreams and passions.

He is a role model for anyone who has ever faced obstacles or doubts about what they can achieve, and his message is never to give up and to always believe in yourself.

Dan Mancina has inspired and motivated others through his skateboarding by showing that even with vision impairment, it is possible to pursue and excel in this sport.

He has shared his story and experience with visually impaired youth and others, encouraging them to try skateboarding and to believe in themselves.

Through his perseverance, determination, and impressive skateboarding skills, he has demonstrated that anything is possible if you are willing to work hard and follow your passions.

Mancina has also used his platform to raise awareness about vision impairment and to advocate for the inclusion and accessibility of skateparks for people with disabilities.

His jaw-dropping videos have garnered hundreds of thousands of views on social media, and he has a loyal following on Instagram, where people are eager to see him landing jumps and other tricks.

Overall, Mancina has inspired and motivated others by challenging misconceptions about blindness and skateboarding and showing that it is possible to overcome any obstacle with dedication and perseverance.

Active and Influential

Dan is also known for his work to raise awareness and support for people with vision impairments in the skateboarding community.

The famous blind skater teamed up with the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA) to host the organization's first-ever blind-skateboarding event, introducing 20 blind or visually-impaired students to skating and sending them home with a complete setup.

He skates professionally for Real Skateboards and Adidas skateboarding.

Additionally, Dan has claimed a Guinness World Record for the longest 50-50 grind on a skateboard, sliding a distance of 22 feet and five inches (6.85 meters).

Dan Mancina has used his Instagram account (@danthemancina) to share videos of his skateboarding with his followers.

He has amassed over 230,000 followers on the platform and frequently posts videos of his tricks and skateboarding feats.

Mancina also uses social media as a primary form of communication to connect with his fans and promote his non-profit organization, Keep Pushing.

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