I got this e-mail a few years ago and saved it. It's instructional in many ways and worth sharing. Names deleted.
Mr. Wedlake,
I'm sure you don't remember me, my name is J.M. I was a student for a short time in 1985 at your school, Dragon Wind, in Oak Lawn, IL. Anyway, I am a policeman now and was back then, too. I went back to thank you in person but your school was closed and I didn't know how to reach you.
In 1986 I was on a street stop that turned bad but could have been worse. I approached a mental on the street, it was dark, and I got too close to him. He swung a bottle at me with his left hand and I blocked it and then he came around with his right hand, which I thought was a punch. But he had a straight razor in his hand and he was aiming at my neck. I did an upward block and was able to deflect it before he reached his target.
He did get me down the arm, requiring about 40 stitches. Anyway, I know if it wasn't for all that practice with those boring blocks I probably wouldn't be here today. There's no doubt in my mind that if it wasn't for the training I received from you, I could never have done that instinctive block without even thinking about it.
I finally tracked you down through a fellow policeman who told me you were in Florida, so we went on the Internet and the rest is history. So myself and the family I now have (thanks to your instruction), thank you very much.
J.M Chicago Police Department
It's letters like this that make an instructor's day. Or week, month, or year, even. All too often we don't know what we did to affect a life. Thanks to J.M. for taking the time to let me know. I'll print his name if he wants.
No comments:
Post a Comment