An old friend of mine died at the very end of June. I'd say passed away, but that implies a quiet ending or in the very least an anticipated one. This was not that sort of death, and it has taken a while to process.

I first met Ryan Jimmo in Saint John, NB at a karate tournament. My step-father was the Sensei the dojo to which I belonged, and was a coach for team New Brunswick. I had been in martial arts since six, but I didn't enter a ring until I was fourteen; I didn't think I would be good enough.

I didn't go to the first tournament of the season that year, but I went with my step-fathe...