My name is Buckley Ventress, and I founded the R.A.D. Collective. Let me share with you what R.A.D. means to me.
As a child, I was diagnosed with a rare and dangerous stage 4 cancer called neuroblastoma—twice. With the support and prayers from my family, friends, and the Malibu community, I was able to survive and defeat this vicious disease.
The physical pain I endured was miserable, yet it didn’t compare to the pain caused by insecurity. I missed both Kindergarten and 6th grade in the small town of Malibu. My reputation became “cancer boy,” and everyone I knew began to view and treat me differently because of my pale, sickly figure. I became convinced of this as I went from fundraiser to fundraiser, surrounded by sick, bald children.
At twelve years old, I was settling into 7th grade as the insecure “cancer boy.” I felt that cancer had made me uncool and a loser. Then, one day, my perspective started to shift.
My mother took me to a local break called Little Dume to surf with the children of some new friends she had made. I was encouraged to surf with a kid named Logan, who was younger than me and battling leukemia. Along with an older guy named Lyon—who was strong, tattooed, and had bleach in his hair—my world was about to change. Lyon walked and paddled with complete confidence, and it turned out he, too, was battling a rare form of cancer. This blew my mind. A person with cancer could be cool?
Lyon proceeded to show Logan and me where to sit in the lineup. Nervous, I spent the beginning of the session watching Lyon. He caught wave after wave with effortless style, while the usual intimidating locals at Little Dume smiled and cheered him on as he ripped through the waves with grace. This man was fighting a similar battle to mine but was in a completely different place mentally. After one of his waves, he paddled up to check in on us. I couldn’t resist asking, “How do you do it, Lyon?”
He replied, “Do what?”
I asked again, “How do you catch every wave and not get yelled at?”
He took the time to explain surfing etiquette and finished with a point about respect. He said, “In surfing, you gotta learn and earn respect. People will give you waves if they respect you. Kind of like life, you know?”
In 2019, right after I graduated high school, I completed my usual yearly set of scans to check for remission. The doctors told me I had a recurrence and would likely need a biopsy and immediate treatment. Now an adult, I felt every emotion. I went down a dark road and thought about the possibility of losing my life. Statistics told me I had no chance. I was scared.
But then, I thought about what kind of legacy I would want to leave behind. What kind of world would I want to leave behind? That day with Lyon and Logan came to mind—one of the best days of my life. It hit me. It took me a long time to fully understand the meaning of those words Lyon shared with me that day, but eventually, I interpreted what he meant about respect.
Respect is given, not taken.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I began to envision a world where everyone respected each other—and that was the world I wanted to leave behind. A world where people Respect All Differences is a world of peace and happiness.
Lyon was rad. He inspired R.A.D., and I believe I am alive today to carry out that dream. Lyon Herron passed away in 2023. He was a role model, an inspiration, and the raddest dude I have ever met. I dedicate the R.A.D. Collective to Lyon, and I hope to inspire a world where we Respect All Differences and make him proud.
