When Grand Master Jhoon Rhee heard of my endeavor with the Sports Karate Museum almost 20 years ago, he sent me personal autograph pictures with him, Bruce Lee, Allen Steen, and Jeff W. Smith, along with his statements and articles he has blessed us with over the years and he signed a personal note blessing the project.
However his friendship goes much deeper than that!
Super Grands, Hollywood CA, 1994
I am backstage, and I am the Master of Ceremonies for the SUPER GRANDS and I am with Scott Hogarth from Canada. All of sudden there is a small disturbance by the back curtain and I recognize that we had a special surprise visitor. It was Grand Master Jhoon Rhee. The problem was, the security guard would not let Grand Master Rhee come in and he was being very rude and I’m sure he had no idea who Grand Master Rhee was.
I got up and asked the security guard to let him though, he was even more rude and then he grabbed my shoulder without hesitation I locked my arm around him and I dropped him. I did not hit him, just swept him to the ground and embarrassed him a little.
I took Grand Master Rhee’s hand and arm and walked him to backstage. As we were walking, really we were shooting down the hallway, I shared with him that I would be in so much trouble with Boice Lydell, the producer, because I took down one of his security guards!.
Grand Master Rhee said Garysan, my little friend, “I will go on stage and share a couple of stories and take care of it”. “Trust Me, Garysan”.
I did trust him and he kept his word. What he shared save my hide with BoiceLydell. Grand Master Rhee performed 100 push-ups in one-minute, he did a sidekick out to the side of body with a glass of water on his head, staying perfectly balanced and he told stories of grandeur and then he blessed the tournament. What a blessing and a great man he was.
Osu
