Alameda Father-Son Skateboard Brand Raises $2,000 for Celiac Research

Eleven-year-old Alameda fifth-grader Carmelo Kamler and his father, Josh Kamler, have turned a shared passion for skateboarding and illustration into more than $2,000 in donations for celiac disease research and patient support, the Alameda Post reported Monday.

Launched a year and a half ago in Alameda, their skateboard and streetwear brand, Devious, donates profits to three organizations: Beyond Celiac, the Celiac Disease Foundation, and the Celiac Community Foundation of Northern California.

From Age-3 Diagnosis to Brand Art Director

Carmelo was diagnosed with celiac disease — an autoimmune condition in which ingesting gluten damages the small intestine — when he was 3 years old after months of severe illness and weight loss.

To channel Carmelo's love of drawing and skateboarding into raising awareness for other children living with the condition, father and son created Devious. Carmelo serves as the company's art director, sketching monsters, animals, and street-art characters by hand before Josh converts the drawings into digital graphics printed on skateboard decks, hoodies, T-shirts, hats, and stickers.

"When you're a kid with celiac, you have to say no to a lot of birthday cake and pizza at school parties," Josh Kamler told the Alameda Post. "Building Devious gave Carmelo a way to turn something hard into something creative that helps other kids feel proud and supported."

December Holiday Toy Drive With SFFD Engine 29

In addition to donating more than $2,000 to celiac research and advocacy nonprofits over its first 18 months, the Alameda father-son duo is preparing for a December holiday toy drive in San Francisco in partnership with San Francisco Fire Department Engine 29, where they plan to donate skateboards, fingerboards, and apparel for local youth.