Hufnagel, the founder of the streetwear company Huf Worldwide, had been battling brain cancer for more than two years. His brand announced his passing on Thursday.
“We are absolutely heartbroken to deliver the news today that HUF founder Keith Hufnagel has passed away,” the company wrote on Instagram.
“Keith was not only the ‘HUF’nagel in HUF. He was the heart and soul of this brand. He built and brought together a community of people like no one else could,” the post continued.
CNN has contacted Huf Worldwide for a statement, but has not heard back.
Hufnagel founded the brand in 2002 following his move from New York to the West Coast.
“The name HUF just stuck with me as a sort of nickname amongst my friends,” Hufnagel told Complex in 2012. “Once I turned pro, I started using it on product and clothing and it became what people recognized me by,” he said.
The brand’s first shop opened in San Francisco, but ultimately grew globally, with stores everywhere from Dallas, Texas to Tokyo, Japan.
the company says of its ethos and origin.
“Do not settle for the status quo. Go out and create your own future — do it yourself, do it in style,” urges the HUF Worldwide website.
Hufnagel described the brand’s name as having been “born on the streets,” telling Complex, “after I had been living and skating in San Francisco for a bit, I decided I wanted to open up a retail shop that would sort of fuse skateboarding with the sneaker and streetwear scenes.”
In the tribute to its founder, the Huf Worldwide instagram post closed by saying that Hufnagel’s “legacy will continue to live on at HUF. Today, tomorrow and forever. Rest in peace, Keith.”
Hufnagel leaves behind his wife Mariellen and their two children.
In an instagram post in November, Hufnagel shared a shot of himself with his son, as the pair hold hands and skateboard together down an empty road.