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 Around the room guests gathered, sharing good
memories with Dugan and each other talking for two hours about the
long history of Dugan in the martial arts and how it has impacted
not only his life but the life of many others.
Over the years, Lincoln Daily News has visited with Dugan on a
number of occasions. One of the first things learned about the man
and the art of karate is that it is not about fighting, ever. Some
have the idea from television shows that all karate experts live to
fight and look for that opportunity at every turn. But Dugan was
quick to correct that image, saying that karate is about learning
discipline and respect, resorting to fight only when all other, more
civil methods of resolving an issue have been exhausted.
Within the art, Dugan teaches young and old alike that
self-discipline, being respectful of your fellow man, and having
good manners will have a much more positive impact on one’s life
than learning to hurt people with your hands.
In addition, Dugan has shown this by example. Some people will
recall that a few years ago, Dugan, who was then a brick layer by
trade, took a terrible fall from a scaffolding where he was 30 feet
in the air laying brick. He landed hard on a concrete surface, head
first. The fall should have killed him, would have killed a lessor
man, but Dugan was a fighter trained in the practice of
self-discipline and determination. He spent quite a bit of time
hospitalized, had multiple surgeries and doctors knew for some time
that it was touch and go for Dugan. They also knew that there was a
power within Dugan that was helping him more than medicine and
surgeries ever would.
On Saturday, many of his friends commented on Dugan’s youthful
appearance. He doesn’t seem to age, and looks as good as he did 10
years ago. One friend poked fun at the Sensei saying that his face
is frozen in time, because it contains so much plastic. Indeed,
Dugan himself says the same thing. After his fall and survival,
Dugan’s face was badly injured and required some extensive
reconstruction surgery. He says that his daughter recently told him
that he has a one-sided facelift that just keeps him forever young.
Dugan himself would say that what keeps him youthful is the
self-care and self-discipline he has learned through Yoshkai Karate.
When he had recovered from his injuries he spoke with LDN and said
that his disciplines in breathing had helped speed up his healing
process. He said that every day, he did his deep breathing exercises
and felt his body healing from the inside out.
Also, staying active and being in good health with a clean body,
free of chemicals and drugs helped him, just as teaching his
students to observe those same practices have helped them through
difficult times in life.
On Saturday, as guests arrived, they bowed deeply to the Sensei, a
sign of great respect and love for the person who has taught them
how to live a better, more focused life, through karate.
Dugan began his Karate studies in 1972 at the age of 20. He was a
quick student, hungry to learn and practice the art in its best
form. Throughout the years, he has crossed many milestones in the
martial arts, from opening his first dojo in Logan County in
Atlanta, and then expanding to a second dojo in Bloomington.
Dugan has impacted many lives, including the life of his wife Nykol.
Nykol will tell you that she was on a bad track through life when
she met Dugan and began learning the practices of Yoshukai Karate.
She feels that Dugan saved her life though his teaching as well as
his compassion for what she was going through, and over time in his
love for the woman she became after she freed herself of the many
vices that were dragging her down.
Dugan has also had a great impact on others, such as Troy Lowe, who
is a student of Dugan. In 2019 Lowe purchased what was once the
Little Lambs Daycare Center building and immediately renamed the
building Dugan Center in honor of his Sensei.
Lowe said then that Dugan had been an inspiration to him. Lowe felt
that what he learned from the Sensei was helping him to focus on a
new business venture with confidence and self-assurance that he was
moving his life in the right direction.
Around the room on Saturday there were numerous
displays that reflected the way that Dugan has lived his life and
influenced others through the martial arts.
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Guests enjoyed looking through all the displays and recalling their
own good memories with the Sensei.
All those who visited on Saturday admire and respect Dugan not just
for the teacher he is but for the kind of person he is - kind, warm,
considerate, polite and caring. But he is also strong and firm with
his students when it is required. Regardless of what he is doing,
Dugan himself will tell you it is now and will always be for the
well-being of his students and the art of Yoshukai Karate.
Thank you Dan for 50 years invested in our community and the people
who have been your students.
[Nila Smith]
Dan Dugan: a
lifetime of teaching the martial arts
http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/
2010/Jul/26/News/today072610_p.shtml
'Fall seven times, stand up eight'
How Dan Dugan survived tragedy by practicing what he teaches
http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/
2012/Jun/25/News/today062512_dd.shtml
Yoshukai Karate Alliance celebrates 10 years and other milestones
Album one -
http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/
2012/Jun/26/News/picturepage062512
_karate01.shtml
Yoshukai Karate Alliance celebrates 10 years and other milestones
Album two –
http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/
2012/Jun/25/News/picturepage062512
_karate02.shtml
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