05/07/2026
Today was a very special day at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu® Omaha. If you’ll stay a moment and read, I think you’ll find it was time well spent.
I’d like to introduce you to Chuck. Chuck is one of my favorite students. His kindness, enthusiasm, and courage is inspiring. Now, I have Chuck’s full permission to share his entire story. But there is power in a story, and I think one day you’ll hear from Chuck how Jiu-Jitsu has changed his life. I’d like to save that moment for Chuck, but I will give you some background.
Not too long ago, Chuck was brutally assaulted. That really doesn’t do it justice, but as I said, the rest is for Chuck to tell. Suffice it to say that in over a decade in Law Enforcement I’d never seen anything like it. His son, a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt from another state called me and asked if we could help. Chuck has suffered greatly, both mentally and physically, from his attack. He has put in many hard hours on the mat battling the psychological side effects of his attack. Not to mention learning a new martial art in his 60s.
Today Chuck earned his first stripe in front of his son. At over 60, Chuck has endured and persisted through suffering few of us could imagine.
Soon, we’ll be publicly announcing a new scholarship program through . Because of the generosity of our Omaha community, as a father of a first responder, Chuck has been taking classes at zero cost to himself. In the next few weeks we will be unveiling this program, but today, join me in wishing many more stripes and many more rolls to our friend Chuck.
