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My name is Steve DeMasco I am a Grandmaster in the Shaolin marital arts. I have a student George who is now 73 years old. George has been studying with me for over 30 years. I am the only American and non-Asian Ambassador to China's national treasure, the Shaolin Temple, the birth place of the famous fighting monks. I have been going there and training for over 14 years. Georges life time dream was one day go with me and train in the temple with the monks. Georges dream came true in 2009. George traveled with us to China and trained daily with the monks for several hours each day in the summer time. These monks are the best martial artists in the entire world. George also tested with me in a secret chamber of the Shaolin Temple for his 5th degree Black Belt, that is the level to be called Master. Not only did George train and test, but I was able to arrange for George to perform for the Abbot of the Shaolin temple, Shi Yongxin, and many of the Shaolin Monks, a great honor. The Abbot is an international figure. Jackie Chan, the president of Russia, Putin, the president of the US Olympics, and recently the Shack, just to mention a few have visited the Abbot at the Shaolin Temple.
George at 73 still works, he is one of the few people in the US that can evaluate and fix mechanical problems for a large US based co. After 10 exhausting days in China the Company he works for asked him to stay in China to fix a problem they were having with a client. George accepted. Shortly after George returned he was back in our Kung fu studio working out, and oh yes George is an instructor in one of my studios. One of the students saw George turn very pale and disoriented. They took him home. The next day George was taken to the hospital and there his condition worsened. George, our 73 year old Shaolin instructor suffered a stroke. This came to a shock for all of us. George is ours and my oldest student, he has always been an inspiration to all of us and I have Shaolin Schools throughout the NE. I went to vist George a few days later in the Hospital. What I saw took all I had not to break down. George could barley speak, he was lethargic, and worst of all George's right side of his face was hanging down. I couldn't believe it. George was our Shaolin German rock.
I was sick! George started physical therapy that day, that was a friday. On Monday, three days laster I returned to visit George, which was very difficult for him and I. He surly didn't want me to see him this way and surly didn't want to see him in that condition. When I walked into his room three days later. I was shocked. Georges face was almost back to normal. His speech was still slow but 100 percent improvement since Friday. Georges Dr. told us that in all the years he has been practicing medicine he has never seen anyone recover as fact as George. The Dr. told us that is could take a year or better before his face gets back to semi normal if at all. George and I tribute his recovery to his strong disciplined mind and Kung Fu training. Within two months Master George returned to the Kung fu studio to continue his training and instructing. I have been practicing marital arts for almost 40 years with thousands of students. There has never, ever been a George among them.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Steve DeMasco, Grandmaster,
www.sdsskungfu.com