About Us
PRPL HRT stands for strength born from compassion — the belief that resilience, clarity, and love are choices we practice every day. Inspired by the legacy of Elmer Vallie, it’s a reminder to show up with courage, live with intention, and rise one moment at a time.
PRPL HRT is a movement born from grit, love, and legacy — a philosophy shaped by skateboarding, Detroit resilience, and the quiet strength of a man who embodied what it means to serve with heart. Dedicated to the life of Elmer Vallie, a World War II tank operator under General George Patton and a Purple Heart recipient, PRPL HRT carries forward the values he lived every day: courage, humility, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to others.
At its core, PRPL HRT is about choosing strength with compassion — the kind of strength that isn’t loud, but steady; not ego-driven, but anchored in purpose. It’s a reminder that the hardest battles we fight often happen inside ourselves, and the bravest thing we can do is keep showing up. Elmer’s life exemplified that truth, and PRPL HRT exists to honor it.
Built from decades of skateboarding culture, personal transformation, meditation, recovery, music, and the raw honesty that comes from living a real, unpolished life, PRPL HRT blends stillness with fire. It’s a mindset that encourages people to breathe deeper, love harder, think clearly, and move with intention. It teaches accountability without judgment, growth without shame, and authenticity without pretense.
PRPL HRT also lives through its community — riders, creators, musicians, and everyday people who carry the emblem not as a logo, but as a reminder of the values it represents. It’s a movement for those who have lost their way and found it again, for those rebuilding after adversity, for those learning to forgive themselves, and for those ready to rise with clarity and purpose.
Above all, PRPL HRT is a tribute: to a man who served his country with honor, to a life marked by courage and sacrifice, and to the belief that a resilient heart can change the world — one moment, one choice, one act of love at a time.
Garold Vallie is a force of transformation — a professional skateboarder, punk-rock drummer, artist, author, and speaker who channels decades of chaos, creativity, and comeback into fuel for others’ growth. A Detroit original with grit in his DNA, he’s lived every lesson he teaches: rising from addiction and self-doubt to become a sober, centered, purpose-driven leader. Whether through his books (DIFY and the forthcoming Stillfire), his YouTube channel The Stoke Is Real, or his consulting and speaking work, Garold embodies personal accountability, spiritual depth, and unfiltered authenticity.
He’s a walking intersection of stillness and fire — a meditation practitioner steeped in Eastern philosophy, a lifelong musician still performing with an all-star cast, and a pro skater with a new Character Skateboards model dropping next year. Garold’s life is proof that the same energy that once destroyed him became the power that now helps others transform — one decision, one day, one moment at a time.
Trevor Kamin is a builder of possibility — a creator, innovator, skater, and storyteller whose life is defined by resilience, reinvention, and heart. A Michigan native with a spine of grit, he’s turned some of life’s hardest hits into fuel for clarity, purpose, and forward motion. As a double amputee who rebuilt his life from the ground up, Trevor carries a lived understanding of perseverance, identity, and the power of showing up — and he channels that depth into the work he creates and the people he inspires.
Whether through his digital development, community-driven projects, or the encouragement he shares with others navigating their own storms, Trevor embodies accountability, compassion, and steady inner fire. He’s a lifelong skater shaped by discipline and flow, a creative mind with an instinct for problem-solving, and a voice of calm strength for those who feel unseen or overwhelmed.
He stands at the crossroads of resilience and reinvention — a man forged by adversity, lifted by community, and guided by a quiet but relentless drive to do good. Trevor’s journey is proof that the weight meant to break you can become the foundation that helps others rise — one choice, one step, one rebuilt moment at a time.
Testimonials
What They Say:
“I remember when I first saw a PRPL HRT hoodie. I was like dayum. Love it. So I ordered a hoodie. Had a chance to meet Garold & found out the reason & meaning. I was super stoked.”
Jeff Schill
Port Clinton, OH
Leave Us A Testimonial
What our customers say
I love it!!!
I remember when I first saw a PRPLHRT hoodie . I was like dayum . Love it . So I ordered a hoodie . Had a chance to meet Garold & found out the reason & meaning . I was super stoked.
