Sijo James W. DeMile and Bruce Lee
It’s difficult to overestimate James DeMile’s contribution to the modern martial art world. As member of Bruce Lee’s first group of students/training partners, he garnered knowledge and insights not available to later generations of students. Based on his experiences with Bruce and the Seattle group, Sijo DeMile organized and codified his experiences into a teachable format called Wing Chun Do (Do meaning "the way" in reference to Bruce's unique "way" of wing chun), creating a hierarchical learning system accessible to everyone regardless of gender, age or physical condition. The entire martial art community owes him a debt of gratitude for his tireless efforts to preserve the integrity of Bruce’s legacy. Having created a vast video archive, he has ensured that the essence of the art (Bruce Lee’s core principles) will be preserved for posterity. DeMile has dedicated the last forty-five years of his life to passing-on this body of knowledge to people who will carry it into the future.
Sijo James W. DeMile continues to be a living tribute to Bruce Lee’s memory. Through his efforts around the world, the Seattle/fighting period of Bruce’s legacy will never die. All of us, who have been touched by his superlative talent as an instructor, are better for the experience.