Inspirational Martial Arts Stories from 2005

From: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1206taekwondo05.html
(December 6, 2005):

David Rueckert wasn't really dead after all.

In the seat beside him, with blood from her own wound filling her lungs, Rueckert's fiancee, Jennifer Longdon, told a 911 dispatcher he was dead, and she was dying too. "Please tell my son that I love him," she said.

One year later, on a sunny afternoon, Longdon reached for Rueckert's hand and gently guided him to a couch he'll never see. Longdon sat next to him again, this time in a wheelchair, paralyzed. Rueckert is blind.

It was the night of Nov. 15, 2004. Rueckert, a fifth-degree black belt and four-time tae kwon do world champ, and Longdon had just finished teaching classes at the studio Rueckert owned in north Phoenix.

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From: http://news.yahoo.com/s/wesh/20051116/lo_wesh/3066317
(November 16, 2005):

Mike Misner seems like any other ordinary guy, but he's much more. Each week, he performs outstanding personal acts of kindness.

Misner teaches a program called Adaptable Karate. Karate is a sport he took up 28 years ago. He stuck with it and ascended to the ranks of black belt.

He happened to tune into a radio broadcast featuring a man named David Ring. Ring was born with cerebral palsy. Both his parents passed away before he was 10. He felt his life was over.

Other kids and even adults made fun of him and treated him like an idiot. Ring withdrew from life. Misner listened as Ring explained how he turned everything around. A big part of that was a chance encounter with martial arts.

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From: http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm
(November 14, 2005):

Every time Rose King sees her 6-year-old son Alex throw kicks and punches, dressed in his white tae kwon do robe, she finds it hard to believe that only a month ago she'd almost given up on finding the right sport for him.

Alex has autism. Sometimes he stumbles over his words. He finds it hard to remember things if they are not repeated and taught slowly.

King tried different programs, but neither baseball nor hockey worked out for him.

'These kids learn, but they learn differently,' King said. 'Coaches don't understand him or they don't have the patience. They need a little more attention.'

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Martial art is life-altering for blind couple:

From: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_3212807?rss
(November 14, 2005):

Asked to speak at a fitness convention in Longmont in 1999, Hung Tran, the owner of Tran's Martial Arts & Fitness Center there, talked to the crowd forcefully.

"I spoke about how they can take action in their life, that they are never too old to do things," Tran, now 37, recalled recently. "I told them I'd be willing to give a free membership for a year to anyone willing to take their life back."

Soon, he had two new clients: a married couple, Tom and Barb Fletcher. Both were hitting 50. Both were out of shape. And both have been blind since birth.

Today, the Fletchers are working with Tran toward achieving their black belts. For now, Barb Fletcher sports a blue sash around her waist, two colors away from her goal.

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Fighter wins world title:

From: http://www.greeleytrib.com/article/20051103/SPORTS/111030089
(November 3, 2005):

Nothing can scare Greeley's Mike Bevins away from a challenge. After all, the 45-year-old Greeley man has escaped death by electrocution and lived to tell about it. So facing the world's best in the sport of karate isn't about to intimidate him.

Bevins proved that at the Wado International Karatedo Federation (WIKF) 2005 World Championships Sept. 28-Oct. 2 in Plano, Texas. Bevins took home his first world title in the sport, taking the gold medal in the Veteran Male Open Kilo Kumite division.

What had to be a lot more scary for the lineman with Xcel Energy in Greeley was going back to a job that nearly killed him 16 years ago.

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From: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com
(October 26, 2005):

This man may be physically challenged, but he is a karate player and a boxer.

The inability to speak since birth did not deter Jhalakraj Koirala from taking up what he liked most. And at 33 now, he trains young people the two sports. The trainees call Koirala, a resident of Walling municipality-8, Devisthan, Lato Guruji (a teacher who cannot speak). Koirala, who has passed the SLC exams and proudly holds a black-belt in karte is not only a trainer but a source of inspiration for the yuongsters that take lessons from him.

Over 300 pupils, including girls, who took lessons on the two sports from him have now mastered the arts and some of them are currently serving the Indian military.

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Lincoln boy kicks cerebral palsy, works toward black belt:

From:  http://www.journalstar.com
(October 25, 2005):

Go ahead, try to knock Mark Yuen down. Think you can do it?

The kid’s got two bum legs, eyes that don’t see straight and a shunt buried in his head.

When you hear his story it sounds like a butterfly with a burst of adrenaline could knock this middle-schooler to the floor. Heck, he doesn’t even need your help. He’ll fall down on his own.

For 6 years, he’s worked and worked and worked to get here — standing in the middle of his dojo at the Okinawa Karate Center on 58th street.

He could have quit. Lots of times he could have quit. He didn’t.

From: http://www.mlive.com
(October 9, 2005):

Since 1994, Thomas has been in an electric three-wheeler.

He teaches karate without using his legs, a job made easier by the fact he has spent his life achieving the unachievable.

He was born with cerebral palsy, resulting in weakness on the right side of his body. Still, he has been a student of karate since the age of 15, studying under the best of the best.

These days, instead of demonstrating the kicks, blocks and punches, he shouts the commands, eager to point out the slightest misstep or imperfection.

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Karate helps hyperactive youngsters:

From: morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/2020492.shtml
(October 5, 2005):

Stormy Wentworth lived up to his given name.

The 9-year-old from Burnham, diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, drove his parents to the brink of insanity with his manic energy and lack of self-restraint.

Nicole Wentworth said the situation grew worse when her son entered kindergarten.

"At this point he was 5," she said. "We didn't know what to do. He wouldn't do as he was told. He ran the household, not mom and dad. It was all Stormy."

But today Stormy is more settled. He earns A's and B's at school and will wake early at times to clean his room and make his own breakfast before his parents get up.

His transformation, his mother said, has everything to do with an ancient form of self-defense. Karate, she said, has helped him deal with his demons.

From: http://www.nctimes.com
(September 10, 2005):

Inside the Shorin Ryu Karate dojo in Oceanside, Chloe Deremiah, 5, balanced on a trampoline, kicked on command, expertly blocked punches, and deftly handled her stick-like weapons.

On the other side of the studio, Chloe's mother, Tina Woodring, sat holding her daughter's cane, beaming with pride.

"She's by far totally exceeded (my expectations)," said Woodring.

Chloe, who earned her yellow belt in karate earlier this month, was born with septo-optic dysplasia, a birth defect that results in an optic nerve that is too small in diameter for light to get back to the brain.

Woodring said she is grateful that they have treated Chloe just like any other student.

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From: http://www.thejournalnews.com
(August 10, 2005):

At the direction of his instructor, Michael Asher placed his foot on the re-breakable plastic board she held near the floor. The board, designed for children, is easily split in two. Still, the 5-year-old's leg strained against the hard surface.

In the end, Asher could not complete the exercise alone. The prop refused to give way as his foot pushed downward with all the force he could muster.

Instructor Laura Giacovas smiled with genuine enthusiasm. Her words of encouragement and praise — doled out in this class for the smallest of accomplishments — came from a belief that Asher's unsuccessful effort represented enormous progress.

Asher has a developmental disorder, like every other child in this Taekwondo class. In his case it is autism, a brain disorder that interferes with a person's social-interaction skills and sensory processing.

That the little boy had maintained his balance for seven seconds, that he had applied steady pressure, was huge.

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From: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com
(July 16, 2005):

Program teaches perseverance

At age 42, John Crumpler has earned a new nickname: the Karate Kid.

It's what his family jokingly calls him now that Crumpler - a wiry man with Texas in his voice and a curlicue tattoo spelling "Teresa" on his chest - has been drug-free for more than 20 months and, for the three most recent months of his sobriety, learning kyushin karate at a downtown Durham dojo or martial-arts school.

Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, residents and graduates of the Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, or TROSA, program file into the Ligo Dojo on Parrish Street as part of their treatment.

Persevering through hardship is something the TROSA members and the dojo's owner, Nathan Ligo, 34, know all about.

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From: http://geoffandwen.com/blind/newsarticle.asp?u_id=6477
(June 13, 2005):

Robert J. Ott was permanently blinded by a bullet to the head 15 years ago; despite the loss of his vision, his sense of perspective has never been clearer.

On Oct. 6, 1990, Ott stepped in to protect a dancer from an overzealous admirer attending a bachelor party at the Admiral Lounge, a former go-go club on Admiral Wilson Boulevard.

At the sentencing of the shooter May 1, 1992, Ott, a longtime martial artist who owned his own studio in Somerdale, told the court about his plight.

"I can't travel. I can't teach. I don't have the freedom I used to have," Ott said that day.

But these days, Ott, 39, doesn't say the words "can't" or "don't" much.

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From: http://www.canadaeast.com
(May 24, 2005):

After suffering a fractured femur and pelvis, tearing abdominal muscles and sustaining extensive nerve damage in a leg, Michel Carrier's full recovery is something short of a miracle.

Less than a year after a harrowing motorcycle accident, the Moncton resident is also active in sports again and is taking karate to a higher level than he ever imagined.

The accident occurred Canada Day weekend of last year. Carrier was driving on his motorcycle from Quebec to Campbellton with his young son, Mathieu. They opted to take a rocky, dirt road instead of the main highway.

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From: http://www.mmaweekly.com
(May 19, 2005):

Chuck Liddell is giving back to the community after a tragedy almost took a woman's life.

On Saturday, April 16th, Taryn was on her way to watch the Ultimate Fighting Championship 52 with her friends featuring Liddell vs Couture. As she crossed the street at 5th and Farroll in Grover Beach, she became the victim of a hit and run as an unidentifed person hit Taryn with their car and fled the scene.

Taryn was rushed to hospital with many injuries; including, major head trauma, two broken legs, a fractured vertebrae and many cuts and bruises.

Once Chuck found out what happened, he donated a percentage of his purse to Taryn and the UFC will also make a donation in Taryn's behalf.

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From: sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/15/PNGC4C5LL51.DTL
(April 15, 2005):

Condensation fogged the storefront window of Cahill's Judo Academy in San Bruno, and the air inside was warm and close as about 25 athletes practiced hip throws, foot sweeps and falling techniques on a long, narrow mat.

In the back of the room, renowned coach Willy Cahill instructed 20-year- old Lori Pierce while she was modifying a hip throw. She set up the throw several times, stopping at the last moment before actually throwing her workout partner, Mike Alperin, a 200-pound green belt. At one point the 69- year-old Cahill stepped in and placed the palms of his thick hands on her face and gently adjusted the tilt of her head.

"There," he said. "Can you tell the difference?"

She nodded and resumed the starting position. Then, with amazing speed, she spun into her partner, lifting him off the ground, over her shoulder and onto the mat with a thud.

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From: http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=5000
(January 14, 2005):

Haliimaile – In the world of ki-aikido, Olive Silva is a trailblazer, the only woman in the world who for 50 years has been a disciple of the martial art.

The 82-year-old godan, or fifth-degree black belt, is a treasure, one of only three living ki-aikido disciples with five decades under their belts.

The Haliimaile resident recently was honored for the distinction with a letter of appreciation from ki-aikido’s top officers in Japan and a ceramic plate from Master Koichi Tohei, the founder of the martial art.

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4097859.stm
(December 21, 2004):

Thalidomide victim Ray "Duch" Peter was born with two club feet and underwent numerous painful operations as a child to have his legs straightened.

As a result he has had to walk with crutches for most of his life.

But this didn't stop him from becoming a criminal known as "The Regulator" selling guns and drugs.

The former gangster, from Lewisham, south-east London, said he has now turned his life around with a mix of martial arts and music.

He hopes his story, told in his autobiography, "A Fighting Chance", will have a positive impact on young people by teaching them to stay away from crime.

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From: yorkdispatch.com/Stories/0,1413,138~10024~2581878,00.html
(December 12, 2004):

70-year-old excels in martial arts

Shannon Morris didn't want to be like many senior citizens -- inactive, sitting at home, nursing aches and pains and just growing old.

A little more than two years ago, when he was 68, Morris, of Lower Windsor Township, decided to take his grandson to a karate class. While his grandson only lasted two classes, Morris, now 70, is preparing to take his test for a green belt and has competed in a few karate tournaments.

"It was tough the first six weeks, I had to wake up all those muscles," Morris said about learning karate.

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From: modbee.com/24hour/weird/story/1880204p-9806308c.html
(December 3, 2004):

Lincoln, Nebraska - Paul Owen turned 90 this week, and he's still getting his kicks from judo. "I don't know what keeps me young," Owen said. Maybe it's the kids he teaches at John Roseberry's Sho-Rei-Shobu-Kan Martial Arts Center in Lincoln.

Owen, a fourth-degree black belt, easily keeps up with his exuberant students between ages 4 and 12. He instructs them on throws, holds, kicks and other basic movements.

Owen picked up the sport at age 40, taught for almost 40 years and then went on hiatus because he couldn't compete as he had in the past.

"I guess I thought I was too old," he said. He decided to resume teaching the sport he loved two years ago.

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From: phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-11262004-406867.html
(November 26, 2004):

One swift, well-placed kick foiled a would-be attacker, bolstered Michelle Yohn's confidence and showed her mother that karate class was working.

Yohn, 29, is barely 5 feet tall, battles chronic asthma, is legally blind, has mild mental retardation and is prone to seizures.

Despite those challenges, six years ago her kick proved powerful enough to send a teen thug writhing in pain when she was walking through the woods to a store near her Falls home. The teen came up behind her and shoved her hard. Unsure if she was being attacked, Michelle turned and gave him a swift kick. She ran as he fell to the ground.

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From: http://www.paducahsun.com
(November 19, 2004):

Paducah, Kentucky - Estes Taylor isn't afraid of a good fight.

At age 87, she has a second-degree black belt and all the skills that go with it

"I can defend myself," said Taylor. "If I had to, I know I can. I haven't had a chance yet. I bet you would remember it."

She took up taekwondo at age 70 shortly after she was mugged on a Paducah street.

"He walked up behind me and pushed my knees in the back," she said. "I just went to the bank and had a shopping bag with $1,100. Otherwise, I would have chased that little boy. I'm not a coward. I screamed to get rid of him. He didn't take anything."

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Breaking down barriers: Local girl is state champion in taekwondo special abilities class:

From: http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2004/09/13/features/feat19.txt
(September 13, 2004):

Megan Schabbing likes to do the same things her friends do: go for bike rides, skateboard, play softball and basketball, and ride scooters.

But for Megan, accomplishing these things takes a little more effort.

Because of genetic problems at birth, she has a man-made left leg and wears an ankle brace on the other.

For the past year she has been enrolled in a taekwondo class at the suggestion of her doctor. But the new activity has been more than just therapy for Megan, she's become state champion.

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From: tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/story/5344450p-5282803c.html
(July 26, 2004):

Duane and Lorrie Reid and their two daughters just received their black belts. The feat comes three years after the Richland family decided to enroll in Tae Kwon Do classes and despite Lorrie being diagnosed with breast cancer in January.

Lorrie, 37, didn't let weekly chemotherapy treatments in Seattle get in the way of her goal.

"My first thought was, 'I don't want to stop,' " said Lorrie, who had a partial radical mastectomy and has been undergoing chemotherapy since March.

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From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/wear/3842295.stm
(June 26, 2004):

A Tyneside woman who has battled breast cancer has been chosen to help carry the Olympic torch through London.

Kathleen Jones, from Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, was nominated to be a torchbearer by her son Stephen, 14.

He was so impressed with her attitude after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2000 and despite a year of treatment she gained her martial arts black belt.

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From: http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au
(November 28, 2003):

Lethal Commonwealth heavyweight kickboxing champion Pat "The Phantom" Christofi has beaten cancer 14 times and it's clear he won't let anybody take anything from him.

He has had 14 operations, chemotherapy eight times and doctors gave the finely-tuned 95.8kg kickboxer eight months to live in 1993. He's a fighter who doesn't quit.

Christofi, 36, will face another fight tonight – this time against Melbourne's Alex Radovanov for the Commonwealth title. After beating cancer, nothing seems capable of stopping the Adelaide-based "Phantom".

"I'm a fighter right through and I never give up," Christofi, 36, said, during a break in the twice-a-day training regimen he's followed for the past four months. "They gave me a few months to live and here I am 10 years later still fighting."

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From: http://www.news-journalonline.com
(July 12, 2003):

At age 70, Richard Schraeder still gets a kick out of life. He proved that recently when he traveled to Punta Gorda for three days of testing needed to earn a black belt in Okinawa-based Uechi-Ryu karate.

Walking down the street, one might not picture Schraeder as being able to break a board with his fist. At 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing in at 192 pounds, the senior citizen tends to blend in with his peers. He shows all outward signs of his age -- wrinkles, liver spots and more skin than hair on his head -- but carries himself with confidence.

"I know I can defend myself and my wife. That means a lot to me," the Hacienda Del Rio resident said. However, Schraeder stresses his form of karate is about defense rather than offense. "This is not Jackie Chan or Bruce Lee," he said. "We are not here to attack anyone. When confronted, you are supposed to back off but, when you are attacked, you can stop it and defend yourself."

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From: http://www.eadt.co.uk
(June 6, 2003):

Terri Sawkins received her coveted black belt in a variation of Kuk Sool - a Korean martial art - and then took part in a national tournament at Norwich Sports Village last week. There were many winners but her achievement was more remarkable than most because Terri is blind.

She has been in the sport for four years after she was hooked after a self-defence class and has progressed up the rankings and through the belts.

Terri, 45, who travels by train from Colchester to Ipswich for her classes admitted she never thought she would land her black belt. She said: "I never intended to go for a black belt. I just want to keep going as long as I can.

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From: Herald and Weekly Times
(February 24, 2003):

Mackay hospital administrator Dan Bazin, 25, was born with Spina Bifida and lost the use of his legs in an operation when he was two years old. After trying other forms of martial arts, he took up Ninjitsu two years ago and is now one step away from a black belt.

Mr Bazin said Ninjitsu was a fluid, free-moving kind of martial art whose laws could be adapted to accommodate his disability.

"Karate is primarily kicks and punches, Judo is known for its throws, and we use a bit of everything - it's very fluid," he said.

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