Honoring the life and legacy of mr. A
Eric—or to us, Mr. a—was a legend.
He began teaching with Modern Martial Arts in 2006, but he had been a martial artist his whole life, he himself growing up in a martial arts family. Over the years, he worked at our Tribeca, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, and Midtown schools.
Mr. A died a hero.
In May 2021, while on vacation in Mexico, Mr. A tragically lost his life when coming to the aid of a stranger he’d never met. Mr. A’s life ended in the same way he’d lived it: always thinking of how he could use his skills—his strength, his intellect, his compassion, his platform—to help those in need.
To say that Mr. A inspired us feels inadequate. He had so many talents and passions, touched
such an awe-inspiring range of communities—from his work as a philosophy professor at The New School to his tireless advocacy for racial justice and prison reform—but no matter the context, Mr. A was a teacher. He fundamentally changed how many of us think about the martial arts: about the role it plays in our own lives and the power we hold in influencing others.
He said that, as teachers, “we are given a most precious and precarious responsibility.”
He honored that responsibility by elevating his students physically, intellectually, and emotionally. In turn, he asked us to speak deliberately, to use positive language, to build our students up, to encourage our peers, and to remind ourselves that our goal today is to be better than we were yesterday.
To continue Mr. A’s legacy, we’ve set up a non-profit, the Eric Anthamatten Memorial Fund, to spread Mr. A’s lifelong commitment to teaching, community service, civic engagement, and leadership—even when doing the right thing doesn’t come easily.
Videos from Mr. A
In these videos, you can hear Mr. A talk about some of the values of martial arts.
To Honor Mr. A and continue his legacy, we are Proudly establishing the Eric Anthamatten Memorial Fund.
our mission is…
to empower at-risk youth by instilling in them Mr. A’s martial arts values. Scholarships will be provided, and the curriculum will include a teacher training program to develop these students into effective teachers.
2. To conduct an annual service project that the entire modern martial arts community can participate in.
3. to conduct an annual drive for homeless communities in NYC.
Donations to fund these scholarships and continue Mr. A’s legacy can be made to The Eric Anthamatten Memorial Fund, which is a registered 501(c)3 charity, so contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
