Black Belt · Real Men Real Style Community

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Black Belt

Not the first pic but rather the last.

Wore my black suit to a funeral of a friend today. Master Grant Driver, one of the most beloved instructors at our Martial Arts School recently passed away. In 2017 he and a group of instructors had a special test where he received his sixth Dan (6th degree) Blackbelt in the World Kwon Do Federation (the organization represented in The Olympics). Grant, then just two weeks following his testing fell from a ladder at home, hitting his neck on a rock and has been a para-pelagic since 2017.

Grant however never seemed to lose his attitude with us though. Still showing friends joint locks and attacks he could administer from a wheel chair. Astonishing! While his master level was in The Korean arts of TaeKwon Do, and he was excellent at the Indonesian art of Escrima and Kali, his best skills were in the Japanese arts of Jujitsu-specifically a style by De Pasquale who trained the US army Rangers. Un-like BJJ ( which we did a little bit of with a US secret Service agent instructor -BJJ is a fantastic martial art), our style focused more on remaining standing and mobile after-shall we say - immobilizing our opponent😉. Grand Master Beaven the school owner taught the style to Grant who quickly became better at it than he. Grant was a natural teacher (taught grade school for 10 years) , rock musician in a few bands, wood worker, jewelry artisan, and was the town Santa Clause at most functions. Just an all around fantastic guy. I was pleased to be joined by more than a dozen other instructors today to honor our friend Grant (especially MaMaw who started at 68, and reached 5th Dan- she is 90 years old right now). Grant represented very well the old saying: you become a Black Belt rather than acquire one. RIP Master Driver.

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