RIP Dave “The Rock” Jacobs

I’m truly sorry if people find this out from this post but writing has always been a form of therapy to me. I received a phone call today from a dear friend that our good friend Dave “The Rock†Jacobs passed away yesterday. To say i am devastated would be an understatement. I pulled over and just cried for about 30 minutes unable to move. Haven’t stopped since. Rock has been my friend for almost 20 years and we have spent hours on the phone in the last year because both of us have had health problems. This picture of us and Justin Garcia hangs in my office and is one of my favorites from my time in BJJ. People used to call the pic “When the lollipop guild goes to Sparta†and Dave used to joke that he was the tallest in this pic. Chim and I used to tell him he was just the closest to the camera. The guys I came up w in what I call the “Grapplers Quest†days are special to me. The Rock was a guy who always laughed, tried to make people smile, always in a good mood. One of the most positive guys I know. He was a joker as well, always teasing me and then laughing when i got mad and he used to tell me that he loved me and my friend Samuel Joseph but he would do anything to get under our skin 🙂 I think he watched the NBA just to tease us about LeBron. He was my go to for BJJ rules, one of the 1st American IBJJF referees. He is a friend who always called to check up on me. He taught at my school 2 years ago after just showing up unexpectedly when in town for a tournament. I still use and teach a takedown that he showed me that night. I am just absolutely heartbroken. I would do anything to talk to him one more time to say goodbye. His children are in my prayers right now ðŸ™. Rock, i love you and will miss you dearly as well as our talks. RIP my brother 💔 until we meet again.