Donovan Waite Aikido

3 years. We miss you. 🖤

2 years. We will always miss you and you will be forever in our hearts. 🖤

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Dear New York Aikikai Community,

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved teacher, Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan.

Yamada Sensei died peacefully on Sunday, January 15, 2023, under the care of doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital with his family by his side.

Private funeral arrangements are being made by Sensei's family. Please respect their privacy during this difficult time.

The New York Aikikai will hold a memorial at a later date that will be open to all who loved and learned from him. We know many of you will want to express your sympathies in some manner. We will make some appropriate suggestions shortly.

Yamada Sensei arrived in New York City in 1964 to become chief instructor at the New York Aikikai. He started aikido at age 17 at honbu dojo, Aikikai Headquarters, as an uchi deshi (live-in student) to O Sensei. He not only built the NY Aikikai into a world-class aikido school, but he helped spread the relatively unknown marital art into a thriving community throughout the US, and later on, internationally. A great proponent of individuality and full-hearted training, his classes soared with the harmony and power of a symphony, inspiring all to give their best.

The NY Aikikai will remain open as Yamada Sensei wished. He loved nothing more than big classes with high spirits, so please honor him by training as you would if he were leading class. His amazing energy and generosity of spirit will be there on the mat for all of us.

Yoshimitsu Yamada
February 17, 1938 - January 15, 2023

The New York Aikikai Board of Directors



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I do not post too often here.
Those who new him and were close, new who I am and how much we loved each other.
He was everything for me. And I know, beyond being a sensei, he was family for many of yours and he is missed around the world.
When we lost him, the world got smaller and darker. His light was the way for many of us.
I am really grateful for all the support I got from his amazing friends. I seriously do not know, how I would survive this without going crazy, without the immense love and support I got. But it still hurts. I miss him every day. And I know I am not alone with this. It still hurts, that I could no go to his funeral due to covidlock. It still hurts, that I could not meet with all of you. That we could not share a hug. That we could not go and gather together in a dojo and throw each others around. It still hurts. That we could not share pictures and tell stories to each other. It still hurts. I feel robbed. And what happened, happened. There is no way to go back to the past. But it still hurts. I miss him. But not just him, our life together and with that all of you guys. I miss the seminars, which have been and I miss the ones which were waiting for us in the future. I miss all the people, whom I met through him and I miss those, whom were written in my stars to meet. I miss all the hugs what we could not share. I miss all the stories what we missed. It hurts. And I know I am not alone.
One of his longtime student was kind enough to organise a memorial for him and for me.
I know, there are many, whom have not forgotten him, and he will be remembered around the globe everywhere. If I could, I would show up in every dojo, where he thought aikido. But I cannot do that. Please remember my heart will be with all of you, who miss him.

Happy Heavenly Birthday! ♥️

https://youtu.be/XEHVNrPNZqQ

Yokomenuchi Kokyunage 3 Ways 2018 Donovan Waite Shihan at Twin Cities Aikido Center Twin Cities Aikido Center hosts Donovan Waite, Shihan, for our 2018 Autumn Seminar---Website http://www.tcaikido.comFacebook https://www.facebook.com/tcaikid...

1 year ago. This was it. We were together for 6 years and we talked every day. Exception rare occasions like long more than 12 hour flight or when he did not have electricity for days because a tree fell on the wires aud it went off. February last year was really cold and snowy and this happened already two times. I think I felt what was coming, but calmmed myself that this has to be another power outage. But it got to long so notified others to check on him. The news came back 2 hour later. He was gone. He was an amazing man with all amazing life. For many he was a teacher. A light in the road, which guides you. For many he was much more than that. He was a friend, family, brother, father, uncle. For me he was my other half, my love and sunshine. He had to go too soon leaving behind his beloved son and us.
We will miss you forever.
And one day we will meet on that endless tatami.

https://youtu.be/619gYOPiTiE

Donovan Waite Sensei Ryotetori Kokyunage 2:2

Happy Heavenly New Year!

Merry Christmas in Heaven!