During The Dan Certificate Ceremony this coming Saturday Dec. 18, we are going to honor Mr. Idrissa Baye with the rank 4 Dan. Mr. Baye was born with Cerebral Palsy, a neurologic condition that causes issues with movement, muscles, coordination, and balance. Sometimes people think that those with Cerebral Palsy could never be athletic. Think again.
Mr. Baye started training in Kumdo in 2010, and from the beginning showed a can-do attitude that wowed, inspired, and motivated so many other aspiring kumdo players. Including 4-generations of family: His son Husayn, daughter Lumengo, son-in-law Jose Navarro, grandchildren Zayd, Laila and Naeela and his great-grandchildren Idris and Aseeya.
His accomplishments include promotion to 3rd Dan in Kumdo and 2nd Dan in Joseon-Sebup (Korean Sword Forms) in 2018. He was also featured in an interview article published in Korea's news media ‘Dong-A Ilbo’ describing his life and accomplishments as proof that one’s potential, does not have to be restricted by Cerebral Palsy and proving himself to be a good ambassador of kumdo to Koreans.
He trained hard in every class, participated in Kumdo competitions, national and international seminars (Kumdo Tour), and continued to push the envelope of what was possible to achieve until he passed away in early April 2019 at the age of 69-years.
With the intention of honoring Mr. Baye, his spirit and ability to continue to inspire others in Kumdo, his friend Dr. Bentley and Juniors at HMK approached me asking if we could apply for an Honorary 4th Dan Certificate to award to Mr. Baye posthumously. So, I applied for the honorary DAN certificate in honor of his love for kumdo and his spirit of pursuing sincere kumdo no matter the challenges that he faced, and it was approved by the Korea Kumdo Association. This will be a good memory and honor for Mr. Baye and his family, and I think it will be an example for all and believe he will continue to inspire future generations of Kumdo practitioners.
This coming Dan Certificate Giving Ceremony Day, Dec. 18, we are going to give this certificate to his family. So, please come and congratulate on his Honor 4 Dan.