My deepest condolences to the Gil Bovard family on the loss of an extraordinary American, and human being. He lived an amazing life. Many, many, many moons ago I met Gil when I enlisted in his Judo classes. The lessons I learned from his coaching techniques was that Judo is more than a sport - it is a way of life based on eight core values: Friendship, Honor, Respect, Modesty, Politeness, Courage, Self-control, and Sincerity. Talking negatively, especially about teammates or training partners was a major breach of his decorum.
From my personal experience with Gil I discovered he was a humble and sincere person which was uncommon, even rare today. And being humble is a sign of a person who is not concerned about his ego but concerned about other people. A great man has left this earth but will forever be in our hearts.
May my condolences bring you comfort and may my prayers ease the pain of this loss.
Leonard Foster, Mason City
