Antony “Tony” Chapman may not be a name you immediately recognize, but for us, it is a name we will never forget. Earlier this week, on a hot California afternoon, Tony passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his three children and his dog Sky (“Because sometimes the sky is white,” he answered in his always quirky-but-confident way when asked why he gave his lab such a unique name).
Tony is the father of Hello Blue CBD co-founder Cristina Chapman, as well as much of the inspiration behind starting what is now Hello Blue CBD. A lifelong advocate of homeopathic health, natural living and kindness to all, Tony discovered the benefits of CBD when he was battling prostate cancer. For almost thirteen years, Tony lived with this cancer, but it never defeated him; in the end it was a neurological event. He opted to not use traditional cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy, and instead began searching for something that he felt would help manage the terrible disease, naturally. Among other things, Tony settled on CBD.
Tony chased adventure at all times, and started his adult life as an air navigator in the Marine Core. After an honorable discharge, Tony became a licensed nutritionist, an EMT and a world-renowned professional kayak instructor and tour guide. Although he owned a series of gyms in the late 80s and 90s, more than anything he loved to be outside, and was happiest paddling around the Channel Islands off the coast of Ventura, California. In the early days of Hello Blue CBD, Cristina would share different formulas and mixtures with her dad, from oils to lotions, to see what he thought. Sometimes he didn’t care for them (those products never made it to market), sometimes he loved them. He discovered the use of various Muscle Butter lotions not only for aches and pains, but to help keep away mosquitoes and other outdoor pests! Every step of the way, Tony was around to encourage Cristina, to talk about new ideas, to suggest new supplements that could help with various ailments.
Tony lived to be 82 years old. He was always a helper and friend to all. He would talk to anybody that would listen about how we can slow down the acidification of the ocean, how to live a better life through healthy and natural eating, and how to treat every person as an equal, regardless of what they looked like or whom they loved. If you ever visit the islands for kayaking or hiking, mention Tony; everybody there knows him, and they’ll probably have a crazy and fun story to share with you about the time Tony did that one thing…
Our Hello Blue CBD family lost an incredible man this week, and the world has a little less light because he is not in it. Thank you, Tony, for everything. We love you and will always remember you.