Jose Labake | Lebanon
French
27 years
Designer /Design teacher
I was 16 years old when I first pushed the two revolving doors of the class.
I came to Avedis an asthmatic bullied weak lost kid when I was 16. you’ve taken me under your wing for years and years. To this day I wonder what exactly happened. The child that I was who’d hide under the ping pong table in school to kid sports class is now 27, fit, determined, confident and dare I say *alive*. Avedis awakened the warrior inside of me. Everything he taught me follows me everywhere: in my workouts in my work my private life in my relationship.
He taught me to never give up. He taught me to overcome challenges, never to shy away from difficulties, never to retreat, and never to run away. Most of the qualities that make me the man I am today; I owe to him.
The fat bullied kid was training with the World Champion. His motivation and determination are still my sources of strength.
I still have his voice in my head at every pushup I do. Every burpee. Every single acrobatic move with Chinese names that I don’t know how to write down.
I know this sounds too lyrical and private but I know that it is true.
Together we’ve broken the “stigmas” of my childhood. The people I meet today do not believe that the man in front of them was one day a terrified cub.
With Avedis’s excellence, attitude, presence, aura, and determination, he has helped me morph into something else. He forged a warrior.
Whenever I’m asked about my _literal_ transformation. My answer is Avedis and for that, I will eternally be grateful.
All I know is that if I ever have children of my own, the first they’ll do after taking their first steps is push the revolving doors of his classroom and meet the Person who massively contributed to shaping the man their father is.
