Professional skateboarder Ryan Sheckler explained why he and his now-wife waited until marriage.
“I’m in a very happy, healthy, Christ-based relationship that I couldn’t ask for anything else, and I’ve never been in a relationship like this before, with these boundaries,” he said in a 2021 interview with Graham Bensinger.
Sheckler got engaged to girlfriend Abigail Baloun that same year; they wed in 2022 and are parents to two daughters, Olive, 3, and Lilah, 2.
“The difference is, it’s like, no pre-marital sex,” Sheckler explained. “We take the sin out of the relationship and leave it wholesome and leave it real and communicate, which allows us to grow into believers in Christ, but also allows us to look forward to something possibly super-magical in the future.”
The skater acknowledged that it’s “super tough,” saying he never really thought much about why people stayed celibate until marriage.
“It was never weird to me; it was always just like, ‘Oh, that’s kinda not — that’s not my deal.’ Until it became my deal, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I get it,’” he continued. “‘Cause it’s supposed to be special. It’s not supposed to be something you just fling around, [or] you just could do and have no consequences. It’s supposed to be something that’s shared in a spiritual way.”
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Sheckler has been open about his faith journey, as well as his substance abuse issues.
“For a long time, I was obsessed with partying. And when I was hurt, I felt bad and turned to alcohol for a solution. But alcohol is a depressant, and I fell into an even deeper hole. And it caused concern for the people I love. That wasn’t fair to me or to them,” he said, via Red Bull. “Finally, I realized that I had to change something. I had to admit that I wasn’t in control of my life and my drinking.”
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Sheckler said, “Being sober is the best decision that I made for my life. There’s no checking out. I have to deal with these emotions that come up, and that’s where the power is.”
In an Instagram video, he shared that his addictions led him to encounter Christ: “When I was at my lowest, I invited Jesus Christ into my life, and He opened up my heart. He came in and He changed my life. I don’t know who out there needs to hear that, but for me, it was that simple.”
Sheckler’s faith has helped him overcome addiction and build meaningful relationships.
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