# I knew a man.



## seasoned (Jun 16, 2012)

I knew a man.

I dont know where to begin, so I will start from the beginning. 
I knew a man, that at the age  when most young men were searching and looking for a place to fit in, took a chance.  
At the age of 18yrs after working in a business for many years prior, had the opportunity to buy that business, that set him on a path, most could only dream about.
Nothing was handed to him, and with no formal education, he spent the next 37 years fulfilling a dream of relevance and power. The end results would be world wide fame as an innovator, motivator and entrepreneur, at the top of his field. By all accounts he had become a multi millionaire, which sprang from sparse beginnings. 
As things will go, there is always some kind of price to pay for that kind of  commitment, and the price was much. The business he was in, was very service oriented and demanding, and required you to be upbeat and  on your toes at all times, as you catered to the needs of many.  The nature of this business is not as important, as the trust given to you, as you teach people to be better human beings, which required you to tie families together  and bond relationships, in a vain of self defense teachings
In order to set the stage for his teachings, he needed to be the role model, and at a certain  time, he took a wife. 
The only people that spoke Ill of the man were his competition, for the people that were closest to him revered him, because, over the years he built a reputation of honesty, integrity, and trust. 
With the above ingredients, and with the help of very willing students, wanting to please him, his business grew. 
Dont get me wrong, these students were well paid, but to what end?  Promises were made, and favors were asked, and some were taken advantage of. The last part started the downward spiral.
You see, behind the man was the true man hidden just below the surface, and out of sight, for only a select few to see. The sad part is the select few were young naive teen aged boys.
No one knows when it all started, some say years, but undetected, with just the hint of gossip which was quickly sweep away because the man was revered, and this was all so untrue.  
This man became a teacher of teachers and helped many business owners across the globe to  better their profit and grow their businesses, but in the end he couldnt even help himself.  
When enough people tell you over a long time that your are awesome, and worthy, it can cloud your thinking and make you believe you are untouchable.  
What took 37 years to build came down rather quickly with the accusations of a long time teen aged student who was now an adult.  Within days others came forward to tell their tale of abuse at the hands of a Sensei that could do no wrong. 
Within days of finding out that law enforcement was going to press charges and arrest him, he did the unthinkable. With a soul he sold to the devil, and in the wee hours of the morning while his wife and young son were asleep, he took his own life, and ended what was indeed a broken and tormented life. 
This man had it all, took it all from the innocent,  and left this world alone.  I am ashamed, I knew, this man.


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## elder999 (Jun 16, 2012)

Friend Wes-

I "knew this man" as well. There is no shame. Truly, it just demonstrates how little we can really know another. 

I knew another man, with a similar story, and I was just as shocked.


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## Sukerkin (Jun 16, 2012)

You bear no shame or blame, my friends.  You can wrestle with your "should have knowns" in the middle of the night but, albeit with only our acquaintance over the Net to draw upon, you are both men of wit and wisdom in my eyes.  So if you could be deceived, so could anyone.  Take no guilt to yourselves :bows:.


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## Touch Of Death (Jun 16, 2012)

seasoned said:


> I knew a man.
> 
> I don&#8217;t know where to begin, so I will start from the beginning.
> I knew a man, that at the age  when most young men were searching and looking for a place to fit in, took a chance.
> ...


Although he was guilty, it looks as if he spent his life trying to outlive his past.
Sean


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## Zoran (Jun 16, 2012)

I do know who you speak of but I never knew him. 

However, I have known at least 2 others personally in the martial arts that have been convicted of such crimes. One that was guilty as sin the other may be more guilty of stupidity rather than the actual charge. It sometimes seems I can't go a year without running into news article about a martial arts instructor charged with some underage sexual crime. I am personally sick of it.


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## shesulsa (Jun 17, 2012)

A compelling commentary on how we must always re-learn the lessons of living. 

So on to the question, sir:  what exactly are you ashamed of? 

Are you ashamed of knowing him? of being affiliated with him in any way? If so why?
Are you ashamed of thinking you knew him when he committed acts you do not approve of?
Are you ashamed of knowing someone who walked an all-too-common path?
Are you ashamed because you think there is something you could have or should have done?

I hope that the answers to these questions are the predictable heroic self-ownership types because if this is true, I believe that people like you put your heart and soul into not only the things you do but into those people around you. This often lends us to disappointment, disbelief and a sense of personal responsibility.

This is the nature of the human soul - to ride a thrilling wave to our own undoing. Sometimes it's a smaller scale situation. 

I think, at times like this, we need to quiet ourselves, think about the things we saw, the things we heard, the things we experienced and learn ... tell the story to the people who matter ... look at the world with new eyes.

I'm sorry for your loss, friend.


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## malteaser14 (Jun 17, 2012)

At the end of all that, even knowing what that man has done, I can't help feel sorry for the young son, who not only has a molester as a father, but has also been left without a dad! I don't know this man, but however successful he was it doesn't take away from the fact that (in my opinion) he's a coward! He did something appalling, and he may well have regretted it and turned his life around, after all everyone can change. But he's still a coward! Whatever actions you take in life you are accountable for your actions. Instead of facing his demons he's left his family to deal with the stigma and pick up the pieces for him!

At no point have I intended to offend, and if I have I'm sincerely sorry x


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## ks - learning to fly (Jun 17, 2012)

For: seasoned & elder 999 - part of healing is sharing and you've done that with amazing courage...lay the burden down..

God Bless you both

***bows***


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## seasoned (Jun 17, 2012)

Thank you for all the input and kind words. It is just so strange that the human spirit can excel to such great heights, and also, in the same life time, that same human spirit, can destroy so much. This is what is so hard to understand, why? Thank you again.................


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## Carol (Jun 17, 2012)

seasoned said:


> Thank you for all the input and kind words. It is just so strange that the human spirit can excel to such great heights, and also, in the same life time, that same human spirit, can destroy so much. This is what is so hard to understand, why? Thank you again.................



Damn good question, Wes.  I don't know why.   

But the fact that this story shocks us, and the fact that this shocks you, I think is a testament to the better side of the human spirit...including yours.    

I'm sorry you have had to grapple with such a horrible thing.  I wouldn't want to see any friend go through that.  :asian:


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## mmartist (Jun 17, 2012)

There is no shame. The sad thing is that you could never know when some one takes a turn for the worst, especially when this person doesn't want to show it or realise the change has happened.


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