SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — On Monday, one would’ve seen some typical sights and sounds of jiu-jitsu partners rolling at the training center in Pacific Beach.
“Guys were going hard, but then embracing each other afterward. And, you know, that’s what jiu-jitsu is about,” Chris Leben, the owner of The Training Center, said.
But the mood would go from friendly competition to somber. Part of the day was an open mat event to honor a fallen member of their jiu-jitsu family.
There were 10 rings of the bell to honor Dominic Damian.
“Dominic and myself were one of the first three to go all the way white through black (belts) under Baret Yoshida,” J.D. Speck, Dominic’s friend and training partner, said.
“Then you find out your friend is on the plane, and that’s the last thing you think.”
Damian was one of the six victims of last Thursday’s deadly plane crash.
Dozens of jiu-jitsu fighters shared emotional stories of how kind, welcoming and caring Dominic was at an open training session in his memory.
“When I opened this place, he was the first guy l asked to be a coach here because he was welcoming. He was nice to everybody,” Leben said.
Speck was also one of those who spoke during the event.
“I had just talked to Dom. He was actually a really good baseball player too and he was going to help my son — I have a four-year-old — and we were going to go out to the t-ball field,” Speck told ABC 10News. “And that was our last text message, was trying to get that planned. And he was like, "Yeah, I’ll be into town soon," and unfortunately, that didn’t come into fruition.”
Damian leaves behind a lasting legacy that started for some on the mat and continues to grow beyond it.
“This room right here just shows how many people Dominic affected with, you know, not only inspiration, but his guidance and caring as a partner and teammate,” Speck said.
“That kind of bond I don’t think can be created any other way, and I think Dom had that kind of a bond with so many people,” Leben said.
