A weekend house fire on Wellington Street West has also gutted Sault Ste. Marie International Karate Daigaku, a martial arts studio located just next door.
“These poor children had worked so hard,” said Tiina Niemi, whose 18-year-old son, Noah, trains under sensei Chris Troch at the studio. “They were supposed to test for their belts on Monday.”
“For us to lose something like this is just awful.”
Niemi says that her son - who regularly attends a karate class there geared toward people living with special needs - has been beside himself since learning of the dojo’s demise.
“My son cried,” Niemi said. “My son doesn’t cry, he doesn’t touch, and he cried and hugged me for an hour when he found out.”
“I was like, ‘No, there’s no way we’re losing this'.”
Niemi has set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Sault Ste. Marie International Karate Daigaku, in hopes of raising $5,000 in order to rent temporary spaces for karate classes until the dojo is repaired.
“This is this man’s livelihood, he has a family to support, and so I decided that I was just going to do anything I could to give him a hand,” Niemi said.
Meanwhile, sensei Troch is meeting with insurance adjusters today to go over the damage to his business.
Troch - who bought the dojo from his former instructor 12 years ago - says that there’s extensive smoke and water damage to his martial arts studio, and that the ceiling, flooring and walls need serious repairs before classes resume there.
"It’s not very good,” Troch said. “This is the only source of income right now.”
“Quit my job of 38 years to pursue this, and this is sort of a kick in the butt.”
Troch says that he received a phone call from neighbours of the studio, informing him that there was smoke rolling out of the vents of his business.
He was out of town at the time of the blaze, attending a karate camp in Haliburton, Ont. with a group of his students.
He then called his wife, who let firefighters into the premises.
“I brought some kids down to the camp, I didn’t want to wreck their experience at camp by bringing them home,” Troch said.
For the time being, Troch has arranged for karate classes to be held at the John Rhodes Community Centre two nights a week.
“It’s totally awesome, I just love teaching these guys, because they’re all right into it, and they’re just lots of fun,” Troch said.
When asked by SooToday about Niemi’s GoFundMe campaign, Troch says he’s thankful for the support.
“I think it’s awesome,” said Troch. “The support and the love that she has, because she sees how much it helps out her son.”
Niemi says that Troch’s karate classes for children living with special needs gives her son something to look forward to as he makes the transition into adulthood.
“Once they become adults, it’s like you forget that these children become adults, and they need something to do too,” Niemi said. “Chris was there.”
The GoFundMe campaign for Sault Ste. Marie International Karate Daigaku can click here in order to donate.