Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr.

LEWIS, JR., Charles "Mask" Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr. - founder of the hugely successful MMA apparel brand TapouT- has died at the age of 45. Lewis passed on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 in Newport Beach, Calif., after being involved in a car accident. A larger-than-life persona, Lewis was a dreamer and iconoclast who lived life on his own terms. Born and raised in San Bernadino, Calif., Lewis served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department until his life took a turn toward destiny when he discovered MMA in 1993. Immediately falling in love with the sport and culture, he immersed himself deeply in training and fighting. During this time, Lewis was a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy who worked at the Central Detention Center in downtown San Bernardino.
Lewis was inspired to create a brand that represented his passion for his sport and culture. In order to turn dream to reality, he sold his possessions, lived on couches, and worked multiple jobs in an effort to raise enough money to build TapouT. As the company took off, he began travelling to fights around the country, sponsoring fighters, and promoting MMA in all ways possible. As the sport grew in popularity, so did TapouT - averaging a yearly annual growth of 300%. Today, TapouT is a success by every measure. Lewis, along with his partners Dan "Punkass" Caldwell and Timothy "Skyskrape" Katz, filmed two seasons of a reality program called "TapouT" in which they traveled the country looking for the next MMA star. In this process, Lewis recognized and embraced the opportunity to inspire and guide young fighters both professionally and personally. Over the years, Lewis and his crew have received thousands of letters and emails from fans around the world expressing gratitude for the role TapouT has played in their lives. He believed that anything is possible as long as you "simply believe." The legacy of Charles Lewis will live on through his friends, family, and the company he created and loved. Lewis was preceded in death by his father Charles and his mother Thelma. He is survived by his son Boaz (16) and daughter Cheyenne (13) of Chicago, IL; two sisters, Sharon Dunlap of Lawrence, KS; and Carla Lewis of Oakland, CA; three brothers, Charles David Lewis III (Chazzo) of Riverside, CA; Cameron Lewis of Rancho Cucamonga, CA and Scott Stevenson of San Bernardino, CA. Also left to cherish his memory are his best friends Dan "Punkass" Caldwell and Timothy "Skyskrape" Katz, as well as his girlfriend Lacey White. A memorial service for Lewis will take place at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif., on April 14, 2009 at 11:00 a.m., and will be open to the public. In lieu of flowers, TapouT will be setting up a memorial in Charles' name and will share information on the fund at TapouT.com as soon as it's available.