Tribute to Our grand master richard peralta
1935 - 2005
On Friday, October 28, 2005, Our Grand Master Richard Peralta passed away after suffering a severe stroke and heart attack. He left with us a legacy that is instilled in our hearts, minds and souls. GM Peralta was a man who led by example and not just words. He was a humble man who valued friendship and would give the shirt off his back to help someone and not expect anything in return. To be accepted as a student of GM Peralta meant you were adopted into his family and he would not only teach you his art, but lead you through life, building a relationship that only a parent could understand. He was not just our teacher, he was our friend, mentor and dad.
Grand Master Peralta spent the last several years perfecting his concepts and applications to the Original Method he learned from his teacher, the late GGM Aleju Reyes. Known for his lightning fast hands, Grand Master Peralta added his own flavor to Kajukembo to create an explosive and effective method of application by shortening the moves and moving efficiently while using his entire body to generate power at short ranges. Up until his death, GM Peralta would still get on the mat and teach us exactly how it was supposed to be done.
Grand Master Richard Peralta was a man who gave unselfishly of himself to all those around him. Those who argued that he might have given too much did not understand that his personal satisfaction was achieved by helping others succeed. Not only did GM Peralta speak with great pride about his beloved children and black belts, he was equally proud of those individuals lucky enough to cross paths with him over his lifetime, those whose lives took a turn for the better as a result of a conversation with him.
As we move forward, our goals go beyond keeping his martial spirit alive in Kajukembo Self-Defense Systems, we will aspire to embrace his spirit of giving and helping. Our lives are better because Grand Master Richard Peralta was our friend and surrogate father. We can only hope to have as positive and fulfilling a life.
May he rest in peace.......................salute, ley
