The
next Don….gone!
…Antonio Jacob was a dedicated Martial
Artist
 If
Antonio Jacob's life was not cut short he would
have lived to follow in the footsteps of his famous
father, Professor Don Jacob. This is the firm belief
of Professor Jacob, creator of the Don Jitsu Ryu
fighting system and founder of Purple Dragon International
School of Martial Arts. "When my two sons come
into the world, I saw them as a legacy. Antonio's
death has created a big gap that will be difficult
to fill in a short space of time because he always
saw himself as the Jacob that would make a unique
difference," he said at his Maraval home. Antonio
Jacob, 19, the last son of Professor Don Jacob,
was fatally shot when he went to pay his car insurance
on Christmas Eve. Reports said he was attacked by
three men, who shot and robbed him. Two of the three
men have since been held and charged with the murder.
The third man that was hiding from the police has
been found dead with multiple bullet wounds.
CORPSE
IN DRAIN IDENTIFIED
THE
BULLET-RIDDLED body of a man found in a drain in
Champ Fleurs has been identified as Jabari Williams,
19 whom police claim was wanted for the murder of
the son of internationally renowned martial arts
expert, (Professor) Don Jacob. Williams' relatives made the
identification at the Port-of-Spain Mortuary. An
autopsy done at the Forensic Science Centre confirmed
that Williams died of shock and hemorrhage consistent
with multiple gunshot wounds.
He was one of three men murdered in separate incidents
over the long weekend. Williams' body was found
around 6am by a resident of Mt. D'or Road, Champ
Fleur.
There were gunshot wounds to the neck, chest, back
and limbs. Police sources said Williams, who lived
at Pelican Extension, Morvant, was a suspect in
a number of armed robberies and shootings along
the East/West corridor.
NO
BAIL FOR MAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING DON JACOB'S SON
21-year old Ako Morris is one of
the accused being led to court, charged with firearm
possession and the murder of Sensei Antonio Jacob.
(WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED AS THE COURT TRIAL PROGRESSES)
 A
karate ka since the age of three, his death shook
the Purple Dragon School, which comprises approximately
15,000 students in 11 countries worldwide. In addition
to hundreds of phone calls, students and Sensei's
from all over the world flew to Trinidad to lend
support to Professor Don Jacob upon hearing the
news. At the time of the interview, Bob Mueller
and Harold Warden of Canada's Best Karate School
in Vancouver were visiting. The death of the young
karate ka particularly impacted on the students
of the Diego Martin and Belmont branches where he
worked as an instructor. "His loss caused a
lot of pain. Students were dreaming him," said
Professor Jacob.
A second degree black belt young Jacob had also
started teaching marital arts and St Francois girls'
high-school where his sister Donnita is a student,
in an effort to help the school's fundraising project
for a new school building. This, said his father,
was an example of the kind of person that Antonio
Jacob was. "He loved life, he loved people,
and he loved God. He wanted to make a difference."
Still reeling from the tragedy, Professor Jacob
said since the age of 17 his son was traveling on
his own to the US and Cayman Islands, where he taught
classes and conducted seminars for young people.
Just before his death, he recalled, Antonio had
expressed a desire to join his elder brother, Sensei
Daniel Jacob, to assist him in the running of his
dojo in Canada. A strong, burly young man, best
remembered by Purple Dragon students for the flair
in which he executed his self defense and sparring
techniques, young Jacob died fighting two guys,
when the third one which he did not see shot him,
eyewitnesses said.
This has given his father and the entire Purple
Dragon family some degree of solace. "Antonio
when down fighting, fighting for his life. He was
always taught that if you get into a dangerous fight,
don't just stand there and do nothing, do something
even it if is wrong." Unfortunately Antonio
died when one of the three men shot him during the
scuffle. That an accomplished martial artists perished
in the wave of crime sweeping Trinidad and Tobago,
has caused some people to observe that Antonio's
black belt was not enough to save him. Professor
Jacob has heard such comments before. "He was
a trained martial artist when he died.
The police officer who was shot three days later
also by bandits was trained with a gun and he died.
Mr. Mike Hercules the commissioner of the Trinidad
and Tobago prison service had a gun when, he too
was killed by bandits, Everybody, no matter who
you are, has a physically unguarded moment. There
have been other situations where martial artists,
and other military men have been ambush and have
not been able to defend themselves," his father
said. Professor Jacob revealed that there are two
types of attacks: and ambush and a confrontation.
He explained that in a confrontation a martial artist
has a better chance of defending his/herself than
in an ambush. And although his son died, Professor
Jacob takes pride the fact that he was a true martial
artist to the end.
"Because martial arts is such a disciplined
thing, he was not one to be a bandit, robber or
drug pusher. Martial Arts go beyond fighting. It
is about character building, respecting other people's
life and property. Martial Arts is about order and
obedience. Martial arts is not about fighting but
fighting back if you have to. He died with all of
those disciplines," he said. While Antonio
Jacob's death his brought the Purple Dragon family
closer together and forced more people to train
with greater intensity, there were those who, immediately
after hearing the news, questioned their reasons
for doing martial arts.
"Once you start doubting yourself, you place
faith in something else. Don't get weak in your
belief, get stronger to abort any negatives,"
advised Professor Jacob. In memory of Antonio Jacob,
an annual memorial is being planned. Professor Jacob
said on the day to be decided, all the Purple Dragon
schools across the world will simultaneously dedicate
a day to his life. Something will also be done that
the school's 100th black belt grading in March to
remember and keep the positive work of Antonio Don
JR Jacob alive. "Antonio was the next Don Jacob.
As a martial artist he was dedicated, committed
to what he was doing, with a dream to expose Don
Jitsu Ryu and Purple Dragon to the world."
|
