SPARTA, Michigan — We all have childhood dreams. It just so happens that Jeff Wilson's was pretty realistic.
"As a kid, all I wanted to do was drive a truck. And so I did that, you know, for about 40-something years," he said.
But with childhood in the rearview mirror, it was time for another dream — one without shoes.
"I'd come home from work, grab my gear and head to the dojo," said Jeff. "I used to practice when I was at my stops in the back of the trailer. While they're unloading and stuff, the forklift driver would take a pallet out and I'd run kata. And then I hear him coming in, I'd stop."
Jeff, whose been practicing martial arts for four decades decided to trade the truck's rubber treads for rubber mats.
"Teaching is an honor," he smiled.
His own dojo — Impact Martial Arts in Sparta.
"Karate begins and ends with respect. That's what we focus on. That's what we teach," he said. “We've gotten to be such a 'me society,' me focused, and we forget that there's other people and we forget to show that respect."
But the man who sees everything coming never expected what came next.
"I noticed a lump in the neck," Jeff said. "And I thought and better get this looked at. The doctors, they sat us down and we're talking… it's cancer. And after that, I really didn't hear anything."
It was stage four. And it had metastasized.
"It was unknown primary. So if you look up unknown primary, it's you know, they say most cases of unknown primary, the patient has gone within a year. So I'm thinking, oh, boy, here we go," he said.
Cancer took everything from Jeff. His appetite and thirst went first. What it couldn't take was his hunger for the sport.
"I went to meet the oncologist. I asked him about a place to work out at the hospital," he laughed. "I had testing coming up and I couldn't afford not to be training. And he looked at me and he was like… normally people don't ask that question."
He isn't the type to shy away from a fight. As cancer would soon learn — Jeff is unbeatable.
"I'm still here. So apparently, God had a plan for my life," he laughed.
A plan that led him back to his Sparta studio.
"My students… they kind of restored my faith in humanity," Jeff said. "Our school is very family-oriented and in you know, we call this our karate family."
The feeling is mutual. A viewer sent in a tip about Jeff to 13 ON YOUR SIDE, saying he is a "father figure" to kids in the community who may not have one otherwise.
"I don't know if I'm as proud as their parents, but I'm pretty close. You know? It's just such a great feeling," he said.
Teaching the next generation is a 63-year-old kid, living a life better than any childhood dream.
"For however long I've got. I'll be here," Jeff smiled.
►Impact Martial Arts is located at 345 South State Street. It's open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. You can call (616) 887-4060 to book a class.
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