If you’ve ever lived in what is now the hipster enclave that is Silverlake, or even taken a late afternoon drive around the reservoir you’ve probably seen a shirtless, overly tanned middle-aged man walking… very quickly. I was introduced to his gait and overall look when I moved to the area in the late 90s when I almost ran him over in my era-appropriate SUV. He screamed something at me, reminding me that the streets of Silverlake were his domain, the many fitness walkers and runners that took up the inside lane around the Silverlake reservoir, well before there was a bike lane. Since moving back to the area from New York, I would see him often and wonder what kind of dedication it took for him to walk, while typically reading a newspaper for as many hours as he did.

Doc Abrams was a ubiquitous fixture of the community, sparking much debate, a bunch of press and a documentary over the years. I didn’t realize he was a doctor until I read a piece in the LA Weekly about him and his compulsive ways. It seems that he had left his practice last year sometime so he could spend more time reading, and of course, walking. Dude was obsessed.

Abrams traversed 20 to 30 miles of pavement each day and wore out four pairs of shoes each year. He walked swiftly — often hunched over a newspaper — slowing only to shout hellos to friends or give medical advice to those who asked for it.

Plus the guy did 4,000 push-ups a day. So, upon his passing yesterday we at Kspace gently tip our hat to the man that embodied commitment to fitness (well it seems his diet was somewhat flawed) as well being an icon to the California lifestyle. Rest in peace, Doc.