Bryan Way, better known as Sensei Bryan to many people on the Central Coast, is a longtime teacher and owner of American Karate School in Morro Bay, but amid a battle with cancer, he has decided to close the school.
Former student Nathan Nixon-Moran picked up the sport in third grade when Way taught karate during P.E. class at Cayucos Elementary.
“I was so kind of infatuated with martial arts and what he was teaching because of his humor," Nixon-Moran said. "He brought this brevity and kind of life to it that made it really exciting and really engaging for a young person.”
Nixon-Moran stayed with the dojo, earning his black belt and becoming an instructor at the school.
After learning last year about Way’s fight with metastatic colon and liver cancers, he decided to move back to the Central Coast from Canada to help teach.
But now, Way’s continued battle with the disease has led to his decision to close for good.
“It’s the end of an era and it’s really hard for everyone but at the end of the day, this was a place that brought a lot of joy to the community and a lot of love to people here on the Central Coast and that’s kind of what we’re celebrating, so we want it to be a positive thing for everybody,” Nixon-Moran said.
The school is hosting a blowout sale of all of its equipment, along with a bake sale, with all the proceeds going toward Way’s medical bills and the family’s expenses. It will take place this Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26 at the school located at 400 Quintana Rd., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on how to contribute, you can visit their Facebook page.
