24 Years Without Professor Remy

Twenty-four years ago today, we lost one of the most influential men in Filipino Martial Arts—Grandmaster Remy Amador Presas. He wasn’t just the founder of Modern Arnis; he was the man who saved Filipino Martial Arts from disappearing. The old ways of teaching were injuring people and pushing them toward karate or judo. Professor modernized the art, kept it alive, and inspired generations worldwide. His work was featured in Black Belt, Inside Kung Fu, and many other publications.

When he passed, it left a void in our community that we still feel today. We lost our number one ambassador. His seminars lit a fire in people’s hearts—so much so that even if there wasn’t a Modern Arnis school nearby, they would go out and explore other Filipino Martial Arts. After his passing, leaders like Bobby Taboada with Balintawak, Michael Giron with Bahala Na, myself with Modern Arnis, and many others stepped forward. But the truth is, without him, the community stopped growing the way it once had. We lost people, and we’re still working to rebuild.

For me, the loss was more than just martial arts. Professor wasn’t just my mentor—he was like a father to me. We would often call each other “father” and “son” in Tagalog. We did this partly so Westerners wouldn’t get jealous, but it always caught the Filipinos by surprise. Some even said they saw a family resemblance.

I lost my own father when I was 15. He was a state police officer, and the job ultimately took him from us. My parents had divorced when I was very young, so I didn’t spend as much time with my dad as I wanted—but that never meant I didn’t love him. When I met Professor at 19, I ended up spending more time with him than I ever had with my own father. And through the times he guided me, helped me, and simply spent time with me—like a father would—that bond became more than student and teacher. It became family.

Every year on this day, I pause to think of him. I miss him deeply, and I recognize how much meeting him changed my life—not just in the way I see the world, but in the way I live and provide for my family.

Remy, I miss you. Thank you for being my teacher, my mentor, and my father in every way that mattered.

Respectfully,
Datu Tim Hartman
World Modern Arnis

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