I struggle right now to find words… I type; I delete. I backspace, stop, pause and try again. The MMA world as a whole is hurting tonight with the news of Shawn Tompkins sudden passing. Not only is it a massive shock, it also leaves a huge hole.

You will hear over and over again that the sport of mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world. What you won’t hear, or possibly even expect, is that the MMA community is truly a small community.

Maybe you won’t understand when I say small community. Especially when we think of all the fighters there are to find fights for.  But the truth is, it is a tiny group of hard working people, intertwined and connected in one way or another. Between the coaches, fighters and gyms, the “degree of separation” is in fact, small. We are aware and know of each others journeys in the same way that families know of each others personal business in small towns. It doesn’t take long for news to spread. Especially the type of news that shakes us, as if the news were surrounding one of our very own family members. Personal struggles, heartbreaks, joys and accomplishments are shared and felt through out.

I have traveled to events all across Canada and through out the United States. And I have run in to Shawn at many of these events.  I can assure you - and I am positive all who knew him will agree - that he was a true gentleman. He was really just one cool dude, who was all class and well-mannered. Shawn was easy to talk to and could always be found sporting an honest smile that could bring a smile to your own face, just by being around him.

Saturday afternoon at my own gym, well before tragedy struck, my coach Lee Mein wore a Team Tompkins shirt as he coached us. I recall looking at my coach (who has in the past, been described as the next Shawn Tompkins) and thinking to myself how much I love the support and friendship that is displayed between Canadian teams and coaches. The MMA world can create friends and families out of us, regardless of the distance that separates us in this huge country. And then today, here we are with out one of our friends, with out one of our family members.  Shawn's death falls on the one-year anniversary that MMA was legalized in Ontario, the home of his gym in London.

Canada has a lot to be proud of when it comes to personalities and royalty in MMA… GSP, Sarah Kaufman, Sam Stout just to name a few. The name Shawn Tompkins will surely go down as one of the countries best. Not just as a coach, which clearly he was… but also as a huge supporter of the sport; someone who always had time for fans or media. I experienced this first hand. He was the definition of what it meant to represent the sport... as a fighter, coach, fan and businessman.

I urge you all to take the time to tell your loved ones how much you care for them, as this sad event is a painful reminder that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. Recognize that your teammates are more than someone who just reps out drills and hold pads for you… make sure to acknowledge and thank your coach for putting in the time that he does...

My heart weighs heavy tonight, thinking of what the Tompkins family is going through. I’m sending healing and loving thoughts to each of them in this trying time.

Rest in peace Shawn. You will be sadly missed, but never forgotten.