OSU, my dear friend Gene.
 
As you must know by now your best student the amazing Gokor has given you the certificate for the highest award the Supreme council of the IBK can give to a fellow Martial Arts specialist. We never gave that grade to anyone alive but we decided after seeing Gokor again at work that the time is their to get the supreme council, consisting of the 9th and 8th Dan’s of the IBK, together and ask their support and opinion.
 
In the end it was UNANIMOUS.
 
Gene SOSAI, you, like me, are getting up their as far as age goes.
 
We fought our whole lives and our life is BUDO and we lived ,like that and made our living with that and give the world many many good students, sensei’s as well as fighters and many more who just did Budo for fun and also got much out of it. I am very happy that in the winter of our Bud career I can do this for you, for if one deserved this grade it certainly is you and nobody will deny that. I hope that you by with us for many years to come but we also know in our hearths that our bodies took enough punishments to last 10 lifetimes and that plays a large part in our lives every day now.
 
Keep on trucking and to quote the infamous Meyer Lansky. If you loose some money you loose nothing, if you loose some health you loose something, but if you loose you character you loose everything! I know we will never do that.
 
Love you my friend.
 
Bearhug,

Your friend Jon Bluming Kaicho of the IBK.