From time to time I am contacted, through the wonders of the Internet, by students who trained with me many years ago. It's fascinating to see what some, the kids in particular, have done with their lives.
I got an e-mail yesterday from Pat McGerty, a feisty South side Chicago Irish kid I trained almost 30 years ago. Pat had gone on to West Point and now has his son doing Kenpo with a good friend of mine, Tom Saviano, John McSweeney's #1. Pat credits me the following;
On a personal note, I trained with you when I was 16 - 18 years old. For a number of reasons, I believe the two years I spent with you and in your school provided skills, structure, and role modeling that were the most critical skills and experience that I have had in my life.
Pat is an example of what I have aimed to do in my adult life as a karate teacher, which is to have a positive impact (no pun intended) to help them live successful lives, regardless of age.
I have numerous others who have become doctors, engineers, one nuclear physicist, two snipers, professional musicians, a high powered lawyer who also was a member of Cung-Le's fighting team in San Francisco, and many who run businesses. No less of an achievement of they and others is that of being good parents. And their kids now train in the arts.
It's good to hear from them. I congratulate them all and look froward to the future achievements of the juniors in my class today.
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