Top Story Spotlight THE BRIGHT SIDE Still competing: NC man wins first martial arts grand championship at 62 Sarah C. Johnson Aug 4, 2026 1 hr ago 0 David Ferguson goes through the motions of a martial arts floor exercise. Sarah C. Johnson, Record Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Sarah C. Johnson A Caldwell County man uses martial arts to honor God, fight diabetes and remember his wife who died in 2021.kAm“W|2CE:2= 2CEDX 92D ?@E 5:>:?:D965 >J 7@4FD @? r9C:DE[ 3FE :EVD 24EF2==J 82G6 >6 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ D9@H D@>6@?6 6=D6 E92E r9C:DE =:G6D :? >6 2?5 :D H@CE9 =:G:?8 :? J@F[” s2G:5 u6C8FD@?[ @7 {6?@:C[ D2:5]k^Am David Ferguson demonstrates a punch in his studio at Dulatown Presbyterian Church in Lenoir. Sarah C. Johnson, Record kAmu6C8FD@?[ 2 ea\J62C\@=5 p>6C:42? uC66DEJ=6 z2C2E6 :?DECF4E@C[ H@C<D @FE E9C66 52JD 2 H66< 2?5 E62496D 4=2DD6D 2E =62DE @?46 2 H66< 2E z:4<D 7@C r9C:DE :? 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E96 =2DE EH@ J62CD]k^AmkAmu6C8FD@? 9@=5D 2 7:7E9\568C66 3=24< 36=E :? p>6C:42? uC66DEJ=6] w6 62C?65 9:D 3=24< 36=E 2E a` 2?5 3682? 4@>A6E:?8 2E E96 286 @7 bf[ 96 D2:5]k^Am David Ferguson punches the air while warming up in his karate studio at Dulatown Presbyterian Church in Lenoir. Sarah C. Johnson, Record kAm“W#646?E=JX x 7@F89E y677 s@DD :? r@=F>3:2[ 2?5 96 H2D @?=J a J62CD @=5 H96?6G6C x DE2CE65 EC2:?:?8[” u6C8FD@? D2:5] “xE >2<6D >6 766= =:<6 x 92G6 AFE 2 =@E @7 677@CE[ 6?6C8J 2?5 4@>>:E>6?E :?E@ 5@:?8 H92E :E :D E92E x 6?;@J 5@:?8]”k^Am kAmu6C8FD@? H2D >2CC:65 E@ 9:D H:76 r2C?6== u6C8FD@? 7@C bc J62CD 367@C6 D96 5:65 @? |2C49 ae[ a_a`] %96J AC24E:465 >2CE:2= 2CED E@86E96C] r2C?6== H2D 2H2C565 2? 9@?@C2CJ 3=24< 36=E 2E 96C 7F?6C2= D6CG:46 3J E96:C :?DECF4E@C pCE9FC u6C8FD@?]k^Am kAmk6>ms2G:5 u6C8FD@? 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Johnson, Record kAmp7E6C 2 >2E49[ x E92?< E96 {@C5 7@C 86EE:?8 >6 E9C@F89 :E[ 2?5 x E92?< 9:> 2=D@ 7@C >6 ?@E 86EE:?8 :?;FC65] x 24<?@H=6586 E96 7C:6?5D9:A E92E H6 W>J 4@>A6E:E@C 2?5 xX 92G6 367@C6 2?5 27E6C E96 4@>A6E:E:@? 2?5 5FC:?8 E96 4@>A6E:E:@?] (6VC6 ?@E ECJ:?8 E@ 9FCE @?6 2?@E96C[ 3FE H6VC6 ECJ:?8 E@ 36 4@>A6E:E@CD H:E9 6249 @E96C[ ECJ:?8 E@ AFD9 6249 @E96C[ D@ E92E H6 42? 766= 2D E9@F89 H6VC6 86EE:?8 D@>6E9:?8 @FE @7 E96 4@>A6E:E:@?]k^Am k9am#62D@?D 7@C 368:??:?8k^9amkAm|J 3C@E96C\:?\=2H 2?5 D:DE6C\:?\=2H H6C6 :? >2CE:2= 2CED[ 2?5 E96J H2?E65 E@ <?@H :7 xV5 36 H:==:?8 E@ 5@ :E E@@[ 2?5 xVG6 366? 5@:?8 :E 6G6C D:?46]k^Am kAm|J H:76 Wr2C?6==X A2DD65[ 3FE D96 925 8@E 2? 9@?@C2CJ 3=24< 36=E 3642FD6 D96 H2D 2=C625J 2E E92E =6G6= H96?6G6C D96 A2DD65 2?5 H2D?VE 23=6 E@ A2CE:4:A2E6 2?J>@C6] pCE9FC u6C8FD@? 82G6 96C 3=24< 36=E 46CE:7:42E6 2E E96 7F?6C2= D6CG:46] %92E H2D G6CJ 6>@E:@?2= 7@C >6]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack k9amw@?@C:?8 r2C?6==k^9amkAmx E9:?< :EVD 2 >@E:G2E:?8 724E@C 7@C >6 E@ 4@?E:?F6 5@:?8 :E[ 3642FD6 D96 <?6H E92E x 6?;@J 5@:?8 :E] x E9:?< :EVD >@C6 @7 2 E9:?8 E92E D96 5:5?VE H2?E >6 E@ 86E 9FCE[ 3FE D96 H2?E65 >6 E@ 4@?E:?F6 5@:?8 E92E]k^Am kAmq66? 5@:?8 :E 7@C c_ J62CD[ 2?5 x 8F6DD J@F C62=:K6 H96? 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Submitted by David Ferguson k9am}@ A=2?D @? DE@AA:?8k^9amkAmx E@=5 >J 72>:=J E92E x 2> A=2??:?8 @? 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ 4@>A6E6 2D =@?8 2D E96 {@C5 H:== 2==@H >6 E@ 4@>A6E6 H:E9@FE :?;FCJ @C 3C62<5@H?]k^Am kAmx 92G6 ?@ 56D:C6 E@ DE@A 5@:?8 H92E x 6?;@J 5@:?8] pE E96 D2>6 E:>6[ xV> =@@<:?8 7@CH2C5 E@ E96 ?6IE @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ D9@H D@>6@?6 6=D6 E92E xV> H:==:?8 E@ 5@ :E] w@A67F==J[ :E H:== >@E:G2E6 E96> E@ 4@?E:?F6 2D H6==]k^Amk9amq6:?8 2 36EE6C A6CD@?k^9amkAmx E9:?< >2CE:2= 2CED 96=A65 >6 E@ 364@>6 2 36EE6C A6CD@? 3642FD6 @7 E96 C6=2E:@?D9:AD E92E xVG6 56G6=@A65 @G6C E96 J62CD H:E9 2 =@E @7 E96 4@>A6E:E@CD] x ?@H 42== E96> 7C:6?5D] xE 8:G6D >6 2 492?46 E@ 364@>6 2 36EE6C A6CD@?] xE 92D ?@E 5:>:?:D965 >J 7@4FD @? r9C:DE[ 3FE :EVD 24EF2==J 82G6 >6 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ D9@H D@>6@?6 6=D6 E92E r9C:DE =:G6D :? >6 2?5 :D H@CE9 =:G:?8 :? J@F] xE 96=AD >6 >6?E2==J E@ DE2J 7@4FD65]k^Am k9am(:??:?8 8C2?5 492>A:@?D9:Ak^9amkAmxE H2D G6CJ 6>@E:@?2= 7@C >6[ 3642FD6 :EVD D@>6E9:?8 E92E x 925 ?6G6C 6IA6C:6?465 367@C6] $:?46 x 925 ?6G6C 6IA6C:6?465 :E 367@C6[ x 5:5 ?@E 92G6 2?J H2J @7 <?@H:?8 E92E :E H@F=5 36 DF49 2 8C2E:7J:?8 766=:?8] x 2=H2JD 9@A65 E92E x H@F=5 36 23=6 E@ 5@ :E] xEVD 2=>@DE =:<6 92G:?8 D@>6E9:?8 4964<65 @77 J@FC 3F4<6E =:DE]k^Am Sarah Johnson is the courts and breaking news reporter for the Hickory Daily Record. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story David Ferguson demonstrates one of his martial arts exercises David Ferguson runs through a floor exercise to demonstrate some of his martial arts skills.
David Ferguson demonstrates one of his martial arts exercises David Ferguson runs through a floor exercise to demonstrate some of his martial arts skills.
