BAMA NEWS - Snake Blocker

BAMA NEWS
BLOCKER ACADEMY OF MARTIAL ARTS OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER (since 1995)
November ~ Special Edition 2010
www.blockeracademy.com
Quote
“The Apache seem to be very strong when somebody dies. When somebody dies--when you
hear thunder way over there—so that you just hardly hear it—that means that the white cloud is
taking him to another world. They travel for many days, and then sometimes on the fourth day
it rains. When that rain drops on you, they are touching you.” – Philip Cassadore, Apache
Videos
(1 hour in training logbook for each recommended video watched)
Volume 1 Kickboxing Savate – Equipment Training with Salem Assli
EM3 Videos
Volume 2 Kickboxing Savate – Sparring Drills with Salem Assli
EM3 Videos
Boxe Francaise Savate French Foot Fighting with Lester Griffins
Rising Sun Productions
Books
(5 hours in training logbook for each recommended book read)
Shooting from the Hip – Adventures and Essays on Crime and Justice
By Detective W. Hock Hochheim Lauric Press 285 pages
Websites
Blocker Academy of Martial Arts www.blockeracademy.com
Global Knife Fighting & affiliated arts www.globalknifefighting.com
Blocker Academy of Martial Arts MySpace www.myspace.com/blockeracademy new updates
Snake Blocker MySpace www.myspace.com/snakeblocker new updates
Snake Blocker’s Photo Site www.flickr.com/photos/snakeblocker
Snake Blocker www.snakeblocker.com new updates

Executive World Fitness www.executiveworldfitness.com new updates
Christina Linhardt Muay Thai style
For donations to the US Navy Sea Bee Ball due the 1 st week of November:
Bee Club Auction Donation
Attn: Erika Kiel
1046 A Guam Dr.
Port Hueneme, CA 93041
Bison, Eagles and Turkeys
The Bison (Buffalo) is sacred, explains Lawrence Storm Hawk. We make our clothing from its
skin and tools and weapons from its bones. The sacred feathers are the eagle feather. Turkey’s
are called the “Giveaway Eagle” because it gives itself to us every year.
Apache 3 Days of Rest
A warrior must purify himself/herself after a fierce battle or fierce fight. The Warrior is to wash
up, go to the sweat lodge, meditate and rest on and off for 3 days.
Everyone needs a Vacation!
Snake Blocker took his 3 rd vacation this year. This time Snake spent time at two weddings—one
in El Paso, Texas and the 2nd wedding in Taos, New Mexico. Then Snake spent 1 week back
home in Denver, Colorado and 1 week was spent in Toronto, Canada.

26 September 2010, Alan Tafoya & Cynthia Straus’ wedding (Snake Blocker on right),
Taos, New Mexico
Hero of the Month
(Forwarded by Richard Shaffer)
Head east from Carthage on Mississippi 16 toward Philadelphia. After a few miles a sign says
you're in Edinburg. It's a good thing the sign's there, because there's no other way to tell.
On June 15, 1919, Van T. Barfoot was born in Edinburg--probably didn't make much news back
then. Twenty-five years later, on May 23, 1944, near Carano, Italy, Van T. Barfoot, who had
enlisted in the Army in 1940, set out to flank German machine gun positions from which fire was
coming down on his fellow soldiers. He advanced through a minefield, took out three enemy
machine gun positions and returned with 17 prisoners of war. If that wasn't enough for a day's
work, he later took on and destroyed three German tanks sent to retake the machine gun
positions. That probably didn't make much news either, given the scope of the war, but it did
earn Van T. Barfoot, who retired as a colonel after also serving in Korea and Vietnam, a
Congressional Medal of Honor. What did make news last week was a neighborhood
Association’s quibble with how the 90-year-old veteran chose to fly the American flag outside
his suburban Virginia home. Seems the rules said a flag could be flown on a house-mounted
bracket, but, for decorum, items such as Barfoot's 21-foot flagpole were unsuitable. He had been
denied a permit for the pole, erected it anyway and was facing court action if he didn't take it
down. Since the story made national TV, the neighborhood association has rethought its position
and agreed to indulge this old hero who dwells among them. "In the time I have left I plan to
continue to fly
the American flag without interference," Barfoot told The Associated Press. As well he should.

And if any of his neighbors still takes a notion to contest him, they might want to read his Medal
of Honor citation. It indicates he's not real well at backing down. Van T. Barfoot's Medal of
Honor citation: This 1944 Medal of Honor citation, listed with the National Medal of Honor
Society, is for Second Lieutenant Van T. Barfoot, 157th Infantry, and 45th Infantry:
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on
23 May 1944, near Carano, Italy. With his platoon heavily engaged during an assault against
forces well entrenched on commanding ground, 2d Lt. Barfoot moved off alone upon the enemy
left flank. He crawled to the proximity of 1 machinegun nest and made a direct hit on it with a
hand grenade, killing 2 and wounding 3 Germans. He continued along the German defense line
to another machinegun emplacement, and with his Tommy gun killed 2 and captured 3 soldiers.
Members of another enemy machinegun crew then abandoned their position and gave themselves
up to Sgt. Barfoot. Leaving the prisoners for his support squad to pick up, he proceeded to mop
up positions in the immediate area, capturing more prisoners and bringing his total count to
17. Later that day, after he had reorganized his men and consolidated the newly captured ground,
the enemy launched a fierce armored counterattack directly at his platoon positions. Securing a
bazooka, Sgt. Barfoot took up an exposed position directly in front of 3 advancing Mark VI
tanks. From a distance of 75 yards his first shot destroyed the track of the leading tank,
effectively disabling it, while the other 2 changed direction toward the flank. As the crew of the
disabled tank dismounted, Sgt. Barfoot killed 3 of them with his Tommy gun. He continued
onward into enemy terrain and destroyed a recently abandoned German fieldpiece with a
demolition charge placed in the breech. While returning to his platoon position, Sgt. Barfoot,
though greatly fatigued by his Herculean efforts, assisted 2 of his seriously wounded men 1,700
yards to a position of safety. Sgt. Barfoot's extraordinary heroism, demonstration of magnificent
valor, and aggressive determination in the face of point blank fire are a perpetual inspiration to
his fellow soldiers."
Rocks used by the Apaches
Obsidian – Used for knife blades, arrowheads, war-clubs, and spearheads because of the rock’s
sharp edges.
Granite – Used as mortars and pestles for grinding corn into meal.
Turquoise – Used in jewelry and other art and used for trading.
Quartz – When struck together, sparks are produced for starting fires.
Agate – These chips were used as points for spears, arrows, war-clubs, and knife blades.
Sulfur – Used by Shaman to cast spells against evil spirits.
Marble – These iron concretions were used as ornaments, weapons, and games.
Terracotta (Terra Cotta) – Used in making pottery.
Serpentine – Chips were carved into tiny fetishes to help herdsmen protect their flocks.
Sandstone – Used to form molds for silver casting.
Pyrite (Fool’s Gold) – Used to inlay into jewelry.
Salt – Used for food storage, tanning animal skins, and used for trading.
Chrysolcolla – Used in jewelry and sandstone painting.
Lava Rock – Used as war-clubs, cutting boards, walls, and various holding containers.
Petrified Wood/Rock – Used for war-clubs, walls and barriers.

Above photo: Carlos Silva (center) with Bill Wallace to his right and Gary Dill to his left.
Military Family Pride
Forwarded and commented by Clint Heyliger, President of United States Muay Thai Association
(USMTA)

USS Heyliger (DE 510)
George Heyliger was born 8 May 1919 in Boston and enlisted in the Marine Corps there '3
February 1942. Private First Class Heyliger was serving with the 1st Marine Division at
Guadalcanal 9 October 1942 when his platoon's position was attacked by approximately 150
Japanese. The fighting swiftly changed from automatic weapons to bayonets and then handto-hand
combat. Heyliger refused to be dislodged from his position by the enemy and, after
exacting a tremendous toll on them, heroically died at his post. For his extraordinary heroism
and gallantry, PFC Heyliger was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. (DE-510: dp. 1,350;
l. 306'; b. 36'8" ; dr. 9'5"; s. 24 k.; cpl. 186; a. 2 5", 4 40mm., 16 20mm.; cl. John C, Butler)
Heyliger (DE-510) was launched 6 August 1944 by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.,
Kearny, N.J.; sponsored by Mrs. Augusta Foss, mother of Private First Class Heyliger; and
commissioned at New York 24 March 1945, Lt. Comdr. Arthur F. Chase, USNR, in command.
After shakedown in the Caribbean, Heyliger sailed from Norfolk for the Pacific 25 May,
reaching Pearl Harbor via the Panama Canal and San Diego 19 June. The new destroyer-escort
spent 6 weeks at Pearl for various training exercises and then departed for Guam 14 August, the
day before Japan agreed to unconditional surrender. Heyliger reached Guam 30 August and then
continued on to Rota Island in the Marianas, where. Colonel H. H. Stent, USMO, accepted the
surrender of the Japanese garrison 2 September. From 19 September to 21 October Heyliger
searched through the Carolines to find Allied survivors and Japanese soldiers, as well as
examining conditions in the islands. After a stint of patrol and air-sea rescue operations,
Heyliger returned to the States 22 January 1946 and decommissioned at Green Cove Springs,
Fla., 20 June. Heyliger recommissioned at Green Cove Springs 28 March 1951 and reported to
her new home port, Brooklyn. From there she participated in tactical exercises and fleet
maneuvers along the American coast and in Caribbean waters. Antisubmarine work, her main
mission, took Heyliger to European waters 13 June-10 July 1953 and again 17 June-15 July
1955. 'She decommissioned and was placed in reserve at Bayonne, N.J., 2 January 1958 and
later transferred to Philadelphia. Heyliger was struck from the Navy List 1 May 1966 and
sunk as a target by the Atlantic Fleet

“If you ever saw the TV series Band of Brothers, in episode One and Five "Fred Moose
Heyliger" is cousin to my family—but then the family line goes way further back than that back
about 800 AD on the Anglo-Euro side.” – Clint Heyliger
Snake Blocker’s Knife Affirmation - This is a knife—and it is my knife. If you have a knife I
will take it from you—and it too will be mine. I will never drop my knife. If my knife leaves
my hand it is because it is stuck in my enemy. My knife is sharp. My knife can cut. My knife
can stab. My knife can kill. I will pull out my knife if my life or those around me are in danger.
If I pull out my knife, I will not hesitate to use it. If I use my knife I will not hesitate to kill. My
knife and I are one. If one knife is good, two knives are better. I am not afraid to protect the
innocent. And I will never use my knowledge and skill of the knife for evil. My business is the
knife—and I don't play fair!

Photos forwarded by Butch. Butch’s friend killed this rattlesnake in Corona. It measured
72" to the nub the head.
Good Samaritan suffers for doing a good deed
Denver, Colorado
Denver police said a man trying to help a woman who was pushed out of a car was stabbed in the
neck several times by another man. KMGH-TV reported the man, whose name was not released,
is recovering from his injuries and police plan to honor him for his actions. Denver police
spokesman Matt Murray said the man saw a woman get pushed out of a car and was stabbed
when he went over to help her. Murray said officers followed the suspect and arrested him after
a short car chase. Police are investigating Brent Ward, 27, in the stabbing.
Man stabs 2 in bid to steal dog in store
Catherdral, California
Police have captured a would-be do thief who stabbed two people at Southern California
convenience store in a failed bid to steal their Pekingese. Lt. Earl Moss said Cathedral City
police were called to an AM/PM market after a homeless man tried to steal the small dog at
knifepoint. The lieutenant said the dog owner ran out the door with the knife-wielding man
chasing him and stabbing him from behind. A second victim tried to intervene and was stabbed
in the army. Police arrested Jeffery Emerson Gray, 58, and booked him for investigation of
robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
Man charged in stabbing of 2 sailors during fight
Portsmouth, NH
A Stratham, NH man on probation for assault has been charged with stabbing two U.S. Navy
sailors in a Portsmouth parking lot. Robert Marcotte, 23, was being held on $25,000 bail after

his arraignment on four counts of first degree assault. Police said the stabbings happened during
a fight. Authorities said both victims were stabbed multiple times and were treated at
Portsmouth Regional Hospital. The injuries were not considered to be life-threatening. WMUR-
TV reported that Marcotte said he was acting in self-defense after he was jumped and beaten.
Prosecutors said his statements did not match those of witnesses and that Marcotte was the
aggressor, stabbing the sailors in the back with a pocketknife.
Photo forwarded by Butch. Butch friend said, “I called in this bull for a hunting buddy on 30
September 2009. 60 day drying period is up and it was measured at 204 1/8" making it the new
Ontario #1 bow kill. We're getting it P&Y measured.”
Apache Words
Shi la – Brother
Shi kis – Sister
Shi ma – Mother
Shi ta – Father
Gue zun – I am well
Huunza – Understand
Ttul – Wonderful day

Dear Lipan Apache Tribal Members:
By Robert Soto, Vice Chairman of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas
I want to thank everyone who prayed for our travel and time with Nancy Minor's family as we
celebrated - not the death of a loved one, but her life. Nancy was a remarkable lady. She went out
of the way to help our tribe and it seemed like that was all she did; but there was another side to
our good friend besides being a good wife and mother. Nancy had a special love for her Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. She committed a lot of her time to her church. I learned that she spent a lot
of time praying and studying the Bible. Her pastor said there was not a verse he could speak on
that she did not know. She committed her life to memorizing the Scriptures and teaching them.
She was a Sunday school teacher to a bunch of teenagers. One parent told me that all her
students were still active in church today. I also learned that she was a cheerleader in high
school. I met some of her cheerleading teammates at the funeral. One of them told me, "There
was a wild part of Nancy you guys never knew about. Man, she was a class “A” cheerleader!"
Many thanks also to all who were able to come to her funeral. There were tribal members
from all over Texas. Most drove between 150 miles to 600 miles. One family drove from
Oklahoma and another family flew in from North Carolina. I estimate there were about 50 tribal
members at the funeral, maybe more.
Both Chairman Bernard and I did part of the funeral service and spoke. I had the privilege of
writing a song and dedicating it to her at the service. At the cemetery, we sang an old farewell
song that basically says, "Until we meet again." I had the privilege to smudge and pray for Nancy
at the cemetery. It was an awesome time of celebrating the life of this special lady.
Afterwards we were all invited to her church for a reception. It was invaded by a whole bunch
of hungry Lipan Apaches. I was so blessed to be able to meet so many of you for the first time.
We are separated by so many miles that it was good to see a face for the voice on the phone and
the words I get through e-mails. I thank you for your support and prayers for Nancy. She will
never be forgotten.
If anyone would like to send David her husband a sympathy card you can mail it to:
David Minor
302 Remington Dr
Bergheim TX 78004
Nancy will never be forgotten. The memories of her life will live on in all we do as Lipan
Apaches. Her work and research will remain on for a long time.
God bless and thanks for your support and prayers. – Robert Soto, Lipan Apache Tribal Vice
Chairman
“Nancy Minor was a very special lady. Just a few months ago, Nancy agreed to contribute to my
next book, Apache Knife Fighting & Battle Tactics. She sent me, what will be her last writing
on Lipan Apaches. I am honored by her and I will always think fondly of her. Mrs. Minor
commented on how beautiful my mother was and how they have the same first name. My
brother-in-law, Jeff also had many conversations with Nancy about our family line among the
Lipan Apaches and she helped fill in some gaps in our history for our family. I thank God for
bringing her into my life.” – Snake Blocker, Lipan Apache Tribal Member

Photo and story forwarded by Butch:
Hunter: Larry Knowlton
Location: New Mexico
Weapon: .338-.378 Weatherby
Date of Kill: January 30, 2010
Species: Bull Elk - 419" Gross B&C
Outfitter/Guide: Carey Sebring - High Lonesome Outfitters
Just thought you guys might like to see a few pictures of the huge bull we shot in New
Mexico. Larry Knowlton, my long-time friend and frequent client, finally shot the bull of a
lifetime after months of agonizing defeat. Larry acquired one of the N.M. enhancement tags for
elk, and on Sept 1st we began a 5 month ordeal to shoot a 400" plus bull. We started together on
day 1, and finished together with 1 day to spare. Together we spent roughly 20 days in N.M. over
the past 5 months hunting elk, but Larry himself spent 52 days since early September trying to
find "the one".
I can't tell you how many ghost stories, false leads and over-exaggerated elk we chased for the
past 5 months, Larry in particular, but in the end I think it was all worth it! Carey's outfit had
originally located this bull in early November, and spent weeks of their time trying to get this
bull for Larry. At 3:30pm on Saturday, after a 4.5 hr climb to get to this bull that lived in the
worst place I have ever seen in my entire life. Mr. Knowlton shot a 419" gross 7x8 with 64" of

mass, 54" beams and a whole lotta tines. At 430 yards he shot just over him with the first one,
but shots 2 & 3 were perfect and a few seconds later the bull was down. We actually had him
figured at 403" - 406", but his mass was so big that we under judged that a bit, and because of
the huge mass we though his beams were shorter than what they actually are. I had the beams
figured at 51", but the huge mass made the bull look shorter than what he actually is. The main
frame is 388", with 31" of extras, for a total 419" gross.
The Deep End
By Amo Guro Michael Blackgrave, SEAMOK Tactical Solutions (TM)
Martial arts teachers are a fickle bunch to be sure, most believe that a slow steady progression
from a dogmatic position is the only way for an adult beginner to understand the nuances of an
art. They take their raw recruits and place them at such a low level on the learning curve that it
truly hinders growth and confidence. I have found it detrimental to adult students to place them
on the same ladder as a child student. Adults and children are different in their mannerisms,
experience’s and desires. Often times child students are only there for their parents and will in all
likely hood be an in and out student. On the other hand adult students who attend martial classes
may in fact be looking for something totally different, something they can covet and call their
own, for whatever reason. To place them on that same sliding scale is in my opinion doing a
grave injustice to them and not addressing their desires.
If you look at the make up of most martial arts curriculums you will see a very methodical
approach to learning. Everything is laid out softly with little or no challenge. This will hinder the
production from an adult student, especially those who have the fire for truth and are there for
the simple reason of finding it. They have come to you because they feel you can deliver to them
their much needed remedy for confidence and ability. An adult will not stick around for very
long if you approach him as a child and throw him into the shallow end of training along side
pre-pubescent 13 year olds whose only real reason for being there is because Dad said “Your
going”.
A kick is a kick and a punch a punch and both techniques along with many others will be
taught to both child and adult alike. The difference between the to will lie in the intent factor.
The child may be enamored by the flash of a technique because he is a child. Children work off
of a very different stimuli make up than an adult. The adult may and probably will see that flash
technique as futile. He isn’t there for that. As a teacher you will now run into the explain game.
The explain game is a place where you have to quantify every nook and cranny of a technique.
You have to be able to sell this flash as function to the youngster yet somehow convince the
adult that it is still functional form. The former may be easy but the latter will be a hard pressed
sell. This quagmire can be avoided by simply removing the adult from a child geared class and
gearing the work equal to the intellect and desire.
I am a firm believer in the deep end continuum. I will take a new adult student and put him
straight into the deep end of training. He will show up and find himself so overwhelmed that he
will think he is drowning in information. On the contrary what he perceives as a suffocating
immersion is really a liberating approach, the only thing lacking is understanding which will be
gained moment by moment as he starts to float back to the surface of WHY. In this way you can
take a raw recruit and give him the necessary work needed and boost his confidence from day
one.
My approach to function is simple. It all starts with belief. The student must be confident in
what he is learning and his abilities to learn and use it. If you take this student and place him in

the shallow end of learning he will flounder. There is no challenge, there is no mana (spirit), and
there is no fire. That shallow end is that for a reason. It isn’t geared for truth; rather it is geared
for purposes other than form equal function. The student will simply dry up because of the
boredom placed before him. It is a ladder of ascension based upon technique and dogma. There
is also the time factor to be addressed in the low end method. There are teachers who follow
strict doctrine from some mother ship entity who believe that time equals skill. They will make it
mandatory that each person stays at a certain level for a certain period of time before they are
allowed to test for something higher. During this time the only real skill these people garner is
dojo manifested. They may be dynamite in the controlled setting where punches and kicks come
at them like marsh mellows to a flame but in reality have they learned one iota of truth as it
pertains to self preservation? People, especially adult students have to be good now not 2 years
from now. If an adult remains in a shallow end frame his skills will be a long time coming, if
they ever come at all.
The deep end is chalked full of intent and motion, you take the student and immerse him into
the fray from day one; you get him doing things he never thought he could do in a million years.
In essence you have him believing in himself because you chucked the dogmatic playbook right
out the window. He does not view himself as a beginner or an outsider trying to find his place. In
the deep end he is embraced as a brother or sister and everyone understands that he or she is
there for that very reason you so desired not so long ago. He is a part of the tribe, not a tribe of
technique theory driven students led by a figure head who is more interested in generating
income as opposed to the well being of his tribe. In the deep end students will learn fast, they
will function fast, they will realize that nothing is wrong and nothing is right it simply is and that
flow is the key. They will amaze themselves at every turn learning motion and simplicity. This
confidence will then sink the hook of reality deep into the student’s craw driving him to become
better.
Simplicity with intent is the axiom on which I hang my hat; if it isn’t simple and chalked full
of intent then to me it is useless. In the deep end the student will soon understand that simplicity
is key and quite easy to manifest once the belief is engrained, and engraining belief comes quite
early in the deep end. It has to, you have no other choice, and you’re in it up to your neck. My
students have been with me for a maximum of 2.5 years yet they function as if they have been
playing the game for a decade. This judgment doesn’t come from me, I know well they are. This
assessment comes from seasoned practitioners and teachers of other methodologies who stood
awe struck after witnessing them work and flow under pressure in not so friendly of confines.
The only way these folks got that good that fast was by me throwing them from day one into the
deep end of the learning pool. Trust me it works.

Right to Bear Arms Part II
By Bob Reiter, Muay Thai Editor
What prompted my original thoughts was a ruling by the nine justices that the U.S. Congress
is prohibited from banning assault weapons, because of the Enumerated Powers clause in the
Constitution, reserving to the states the power to police. From the peanut gallery, the question
arises whether the FBI is out of business, but we won't go there. Following the ruling and my
thoughts on the subject, the nine justices then over turned precedent in ruling that the city of
Chicago is prohibited from regulating the ownership of firearms, citing the Second Amendment.
I've now got some new thoughts on this subject. Agencies of the federal government
typically go into militia compounds with guns blazing. Even though we get all romantic in this
country about mobilizing some kind of militia to make the world right, in reality any threat to
sovereignty will be dealt with extreme prejudice.
We pay lip service to the Second Amendment's endorsement of militias, but none of us live in
the world that our Founding Fathers did. This is really a no-brainer. There is always a flight of
capital to the U.S. during a financial crisis, because everyone -- including the Red Chinese --
knows that we are the most militarily secure nation on the planet. The most awesome military in
all of history defends the United States of America. We don't need militias anymore to keep the
British from billeting their troops in our homes.
The question that still vexes me about 9/11 is where was the U.S. Air force? It's surreal to
even suggest that some kind of self-appointed civilian air patrol was supposed to take out the
hijackers. This kind of thinking would actually legitimize the bad guys. Where is common
sense as a legal principle?

Judges apply legal principles to contemporary issues. We all should worry, when they openly
lie about their personal agendas, as though it matters what someone more than 200 years ago had
in mind, much less know with any kind of meaningful certainty. In his farewell address, George
Washington advised "beware of foreign entanglements". We're in serious trouble, if the nine
justices make that their own.
The legislative branch is supposed to make law under the Constitution. It is a legitimate
question whether the Judiciary over steps its bounds in second guessing elected legislators,
without unimpeachable reasons. Guaranteed lifetime tenure can be worrisome, if the incumbents
get power hungry. One possible indication that this might be happening, is when they reverse
precedent peremptorily, substituting in its place whatever they'll decide next time.
We are a nation of laws, meaning that no one is above the law. Such a solemn oath as to
uphold the Constitution ought not to be a pretext for egos run amok. Undermine the law, and it
all comes apart!

Here's the trailer and poster for the movie 'Cross.' Snake Blocker’s good friend Carl “Dragon”
Van Meter worked on this film. Carl used to teach and train at Blocker Academy of Martial Arts
in Rolling Hills Estates, California. He played the vigilante in the mask going through the film
beating up drug dealers and gang bangers (always a good time). Carl did the stunt work and
fight choreography for this film.
In Memory of Evie Mali (Snake Blocker’s godchild)
by Jeremy Romero (Snake’s best friend)
The day before Eve’s birthday...I'm not sure what kind of impact that sentence makes on you,
but for me it is a flood of emotions. The past year I've watched little girls grow up all around me.
I've seen friends post their daughter's "firsts." I can't help but mentally make a list in my mind of
all the things we've missed out on with Evie.
Since the day she was born until now, not a single day passes that she is not on our minds.
And yes there are still those days when I wake up and want to hate the world for every decision
I've made that may have prevented her from being here today. Those are the days when I look in
the mirror and feel nothing but self-loathing that there is nothing I can do to change the past. The
reality that there is no "retry" button, no going back is maddening.
To the right of my desk on a shelf is a little white box. It contains a paper with a hand print
and a footprint, a little pink cap, a lock of hair and a little pink blanket. On Flickr (photo website)
I have some pictures. I also have a 5 minute video and memories of 8 days with her. This is
what we have of Evie Mali for a lifetime.
There is however, one more thing we have that never fades no matter how tough things get:

Hope.
Even on the most difficult of days there is always hope. Hope that Evie Mali keeps making a
difference in people's lives. Hope that her sibling will be born healthy. Hope that her uncle,
aunts, grandparents, and cousins will hold and love that sibling.
So I guess we have two more things to share with you.
First:
Evie Mali's book is finished. http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fStoreID=1669291
I wish we could send each and every one of you a book. We've already sent out eight books.
One for each day of her life. And I will continue to do so each year.
Currently its setup so by purchasing it you will be making a donation from one to five dollars.
The money accumulated will be donated in her name to the Children’s Hospital and Huntington
Hospital. It is also available to be read online.
Second:
For those of you who never got to see her up close here is the video I have that needs to last a life
time: http://www.vimeo.com/1279737
Thank you for your thoughts and please send her book to anyone that you think it may help.
- Jeremy and Rahpee Romero
“To all my fans, family, friends, students and enemies: may God bless you all and keep you
safe. I pray for all of you almost daily. Keep up your training, be honest and be bold in
your convictions.” – Snake Blocker (photo above taken Oct 2010 in Denver during his vacation)