MMA legends teamed up for #FranksFight…and raised thousands!

As Dojo readers know, we’ve been a supporter of #FranksFight for a while now. #FranksFight is dedicated to helping raise support–both financial as well as emotional–for my friends Frank and Wendy Edge as they face Frank’s second bout with testicular cancer.

I met Frank and Wendy through the Underground (or UG, aka. the best online MMA community out there!) and have have been working to help them in their efforts to raise awareness and funding for #FranksFight ever since. But I’m not the only one who’s joined their fight…not by a long shot! The MMA community has rallied around Frank and Wendy and it’s been amazing to see!

From Shannon Knapp, President of Invicta Fighting Championships (the leading Women’s MMA promotion) inviting Frank and Wendy to be her guests at last year’s MMA awards and putting the #FranksFight logo in the Invicta cage…

…to Chris Camozzi putting #FranksFight on his walkout shirt front and center for his last fight…

…to UFC President Dana White calling Frank from inside the Octagon at the UFC Seattle UG meet and greet and inviting him and Wendy to be his VIP guests at UFC 159 in New Jersey, the support that the UG community has been able to generate for #FranksFight has been overwhelming.

But the latest effort is the one that stood out to me more than any of the others. Over the past few months, UG members Matt Phillips and Ottavia Bourdain organized a benefit seminar the afternoon before UFC 159 for #FranksFight at none other than the Renzo Gracie Academy in Manhattan!

The same Renzo Gracie Academy that I’ve trained at the past two Summers!

The same Renzo Gracie Academy that is Leadership Martial Arts‘ “mother ship”!

The seminar included a who’s who among the BJJ/MMA community: Renzo Gracie, Frankie Edgar, John Danaher, Rafael “Sapo” Natal, Igor Gracie, Renato Laranja, Silver Fox, Daniel Straus and even Disciple Dojo’s friend Justin “The Viking” Wren!

And while I wasn’t able to make it up to NY for the seminar myself, my friend and photographer-par-excellance Scott Douglas Hemenway (aka. “the geek”) was there and captured the whole thing (see his amazing pics below and be sure to go “like” his Facebook page as a way of saying thanks!). It was heartwarming to see.

I asked Frank’s wife, Wendy, to write about the experience so I could share it with Dojo readers. Here is her account of the weekend:

As April 27th got closer I sat here so very excited to be part of a fundraiser held specifically for my husband. I normally live a somewhat sheltered life and therefore going to meet so many new people and the focus be on my husband was quite intimidating for me. But as the car took me through New York streets I was so amazed at everything I saw that I completely forgot about being anxious to meet everyone.

The first person I met was Matt [Phillips]. We hugged and it was nice to finally meet the person who’d played a part in making this seminar happen. Matt brought us downstairs to the academy and I then got to meet Ottavia [Bourdain]. When she and I hugged it was like hugging my mom. I felt so much emotion run though me. All I could do was say thank you and fight back the tears. Ottavia has done so much for Frank and our family and this seminar was the icing on the cake!

One of the things I brought to the seminar was a pack of brochures that I had received from www.singlejingles.org. These brochures were going to go out in #FranksFight thank you packages, however I decided to bring them with me to give out at the seminar. After getting the okay from Ottavia, I put all the #FranksFight promotional items on the counter including the brochures so anyone attending could take one.

As people started to arrive and I got to meet people I had been talking to as well as people whom I never knew. I had already met and made the connection with Scott (“the geek” on the UG) and Larry (“bagger” on the UG) the night before, and I was so very happy they would be at the seminar to witness this amazing event!

Scott being the incredible photographer that he is brought his equipment to take pictures so we would have a lifetime of memories…and that he did! I met Kristen (“Krs10KO.com” on the UG) and the funny thing was, while talking with her only once did I realize Scott was taking pictures. Now considering how I don’t like pictures of myself it just goes to show how much the seminar made me carefree regarding my normal anxieties.

One of the most memorable moments for me was meeting and speaking with Justin [Wren]. I wanted to hug him forever; he is a great big teddy bear! I so enjoyed listening to his stories and watching him talk to Frank on a very personal level. Scott’s picture (below) shows the emotion shared between Justin and Frank.

Some great things happened at this seminar besides just raising money for Frank. TapCancerOut owner Jon [Thomas] showed up; I never realized he was going to be there.

Kristen, who helps promote Jon’s organization, also got to meet him in person and that was amazing. I too was so very excited to meet Jon, as he had sent me and Frank a t-shirt back in the beginning and he too promotes the fight against cancer.

As I mentioned earlier, I had brought brochures for singlejingles and something amazing happened with them: Renato Laranja showed up and, unbeknownst to me, grabbed a brochure. He took it onto the mat and explained to everyone (with great humor!) the importance the self-check for men. He opened the brochure and explained how it had a self check shower card and I just sat there speechless that he took the time to use the brochure to spread awareness; it was so unexpected. I have fought, and always will fight, specifically against testicular cancer as I believe it needs more awareness, so what Renato did…wow! I was almost numb (in a good way!) during that moment because it was that deep and personal to me. In fact Singlejingles posted the picture (below) on their Facebook page after I emailed them about it.

There were two young boys at this seminar who had #FranksFight wristbands to show they were participants. One had on a gi, and I was amazed at how they paid close attention as each instructor explained their technique. These two boys would then go on to drill the techniques just as they had been instructed. I had a conversation with Frank about how wonderful it was to see these boys participating. Frank made it a point to spend a special moment with them and ask them for a picture, which they happily agreed to (below). When adults support someone in need it is a good deed but when children do that is just something so very special!

Another thing that I brought with me were some potraits that [Disciple] Dojo had drawn. I had the opportunity to share these at the seminar with Frankie Edgar and Renzo Gracie. I was so in the moment at times that I almost forgot about bringing them. I caught Frankie on his way out of the seminar and he was nice enough to sign one of the portraits…and even wanted one for himself so I explained to him a bit about Disciple Dojo and was happy to pass JM’s work on to him. While taking pictures with Renzo and Renato I had the chance to ask Renzo to sign a portrait of Dojo’s and pass another one along to him. He told me how great JM was and that he was his friend. I was now so excited to tell JM about the two portraits I had signed!

As I said this seminar was all positive and brought more to the table than just a donation. At the end of the seminar Ottavia came over and let us know how much had been raised. The seminar itself raised $1,155 and Ottavia and others who couldn’t be there in person ended up donating via Paypal another $4,000.00 for a total of $5,155.00!! While she explained these donations the water started to gather in my eyes; Frank and I were just so very thankful for everything that had been accomplished with the seminar. I was able to speak to Anthony Bourdain [chef, author, TV host…and Ottavia’s husband] who was there and personally tell him thank you for everything he had done for our family.

As pictures were taken I tried to avoid them…however Renzo said “come on!” and the next thing you know I felt famous. 🙂 At one point I remember taking a picture with Renzo and Renato and seeing a few cameras going off in front of us it was quite a moment. A moment that will forever be in my memory!

I took a picture with Daniel [Straus] and never realized what a friendship would form after this. Daniel was an instant connection as he spoke to me like I was a friend from years back. It was amazing. Renato was so entertaining that I could not take my attention from him. As he picked on Daniel during the seminar I cracked up laughing, never realizing I would walk away knowing how to north south choke someone! Renato knows how to grab attention and keep it…and because of that I even learned a Jiujitsu technique!

I walked away from this seminar wishing I did not have to leave. The environment was the most positive energy I have ever been a part of! Frank had gotten a little sick while he was there yet it didn’t stop him from being a part of the amazing events that were happening…and all because of his story.

The entire time I was there I was able to be carefree to the fact my husband still had a horrible disease inside of him. Nothing has been able to take this worry away, but while at the seminar I was able to step away from it and soak up some amazing positive energy that would help me continue to fight alongside my husband.

Frank and Wendy are an amazing couple and I’m so blessed to be able to support them in some small way and help spread the word about their fight. Whenever I grapple now, I always wear a #FranksFight wristband around my ankle as a reminder of something far greater that they are grappling with, and also as a reminder to continue to pray for them and for Frank’s full recovery. Cancer is a terrible part of this fallen world…yet the words of Jesus still ring true:

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. -John 16:33

Please continue to keep #FranksFight in your prayers and continue to support him and Wendy however you are able.

Blessings to you from Disciple Dojo, Frank…

One way you can do so is by purchasing one of the following original portraits I’ve drawn. Each has been personally autographed by the subjects themselves, and at least 70% of the proceeds from each will go directly to #FranksFight…

Matt Serra

John Danaher

Dana White

Chael Sonnen

[Shipping available for international orders at an additional cost depending upon location]

You can also purchase 8.5×11″ prints of each of the above (as well as others!) for only $10 apiece, with 50% of the proceeds going to #FranksFight. To order prints, head over to the Dojo gallery.

Finally, here are some of the pics from the seminar. To see the full set, check out Scott’s Facebook album…