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On July 18, 2010, officer Michael Bailey, was killed in front of his home by three predators. Please say a prayer for Michael-san and his family. Michael-san was a wonderful person. He was a loving husband and father, his kindness and compassion had no boundaries. He was generous to a fault with his time, energy, and loving spirit. Michael-san was never too busy to come out and share his knowledge of Ki development, or the Do's & Don'ts of the Streets with my students. He participated in my 2006 Pathway to Harmony Aikido Summer Enrichment (PHASE) program (Scroll down to Ki Development to see additional pictures).

Michael-san was the kind of police officer that you liked even if you were being arrested by him because he treated everyone with respect. Fifteen years ago, he came to me because he wanted me to help him become a better police officer. The type of officer that was in touch with himsellf and the community, not ruled by fear of our youth, or, was afraid to engage in a conversation with anyone. He wanted to learn how to be calm in the midst of chaos and not always rely on the threat of force to resolve situations. He wanted to learn all he could about aikido and its philosophy of non aggression. Micheal-san loved practicing ki-aikido, chi qong, and tai chi and would later go on to create a program working with youth and adults modeled after the Pathway to Harmony Aikido program. Believe me when I say this city, this country, this world lost a really good person.

On a personal note, sometimes Michael-san and I would go for months without talking because we were both so busy with our programs, and then one of us would make the call and it was download time. I can't express how much I am going to miss my friend, but I think those of you that really know me understand that this hits pretty close to home. So, I ask you to also say a prayer for me. I often talked with Michael-san about being a positive force in the universe. Michael-san was one of the few people who understood why I embarked on the journey that I am on today with my Pathway to Harmony Aikido Program. He was one of the points of light, the success stories that I used to help strengthen me to do what I do everyday. Now, I will use his senseless death to deepen my resolve to help stop the violence in our communities and help bring harmony to this world. I am thankful to God for allowing me to be part of Michael-san's journey. Thank you in advance for your prayers. May God continue to bless you and yours.

Sincerely,

Rick Butler, Sensei