Lynda Hudman is my taekwondo instructor. She is the highest ranked female martial artist in Arizona. She holds a fifth degree black belt, and will soon be testing for sixth degree. The fact that she has accomplished this in spite of the fact that her heart was damaged by disease, and therefore she must use a wheelchair, is only one of the remarkable things about her. She did all her martial arts training in the wheelchair.

Lynda has a heart of gold. She has always been extremely patient and nurturing toward me, and I see this attitude displayed to all of her students. Because of her patience, I have been able to realize much greater potential in correct technique. We have many disabled students in our school. Some of them she instructs personally. Another thing I like about our school is that we have many different kinds of people, and we all get along. We have whites, Hispanics, and African-Americans, Jews, and Arabs. We even have a student from Russia. I think it is outstanding that we have such brotherhood and sisterhood in our school. Since Lynda abides by the principles of integrity as outlined by General Choi Hong Hi, who is the father of modern taekwondo, she does not take any money for her teaching.

Besides being a taekwondo teacher, Lynda is a foster and adoptive mother. She has cared for five children that I know about, and has adopted four of them. Some of them are grown. She has taught all her adopted children taekwondo, and also her mother, who, at the age of 74, holds a fourth degree black belt; she will soon be testing for fifth degree. When Lynda's oldest foster daughter became pregnant, and began to serve a sentence in prison, Lynda arranged to take care of her son until she is able to care for him herself. Lynda has had the baby for a month, and he is adorable!

Lynda embodies the spirit of gentle strength that is the heart of the martial arts. It is a privilege to be her student, and to count her as a friend.