Hangin' With Jackie Chan

Lovely Blog Entry with Video of Jackie with Make-A-Wish

This is a different perspective of Dayne Nourse's visit to Hong Kong to see Jackie with the Make-A-Wish foundation. Includes a lovely video (put it on full screen) of Jackie teaching Dayne some moves. Click on the photos to see large size including one in Jackie's office bathroom. (As to be expected its sparkling clean)

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More From Dayne Nourse and Jackie

Well, we've been back from Hong Kong for four days now, but are still trying to shake the effects of our half-way-around- the world travel. What a trip. We'll never forget it!. And what a guy Jackie Chan is.

My son, Dayne, the recipient of a Make A Wish Foundation grant, is still thinking of how he can get back to Hong Kong and live with Jackie.

I am still shaking my head in wonderment, over how suddenly this came about and the whirlwind tour in which it all happened.

It seems like just a month or so ago Dayne, who suffers from a form of brittle bone disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta (his bones fracture easily and he's been completely supported, head to toe, with steel rods surgically placed inside those bones) asked to meet Jackie Chan. It's actually been almost a year since Dayne made the wish. But Jackie Chan agreed, a passport was obtained for Dayne, celebrations were planned in preparation for the the trip and it all finally happened. Where was I, ask myself? But, of course I was there. And how fortunate I was. It was about Dayne. But, his mother, sister and I were also the recipients of a grand and glorious visit with one of the most talented and gracious celebrities of motion pictures.

Our first scheduled meeting with Jackie Chan, a recording session while he voiced a tract for the new motion Picture Kung Fu Panda Part Two, fell through. Uh-oh, we thought, what if? But left it at that. So, we spent the next two days shopping, as you might expect in probably the biggest shopping market in the world. We bumped and paced our way through crowds all over that wonderfully friendly city. Friendly, except for the men, who always go first. First in line, first through a door. My thoughts quickly raced back to my childhood, to a thump on my head and to what I've tried to teach Dayne, women and seniors go first. It's a matter of respect. But, we laughed and bumped along the rough handicapped unfriendly sidewalks of that towering city, amid the warnings to my daughter Brittani, who is also Dayne's Special Needs Nurse, "You're buying too much. You'll never get it home." But, it was for her daughters, my granddaughters. And, it's hard not to buy, especially in a place like Hong Kong.

It was now coming on Thursday, they day of our next scheduled visit with Jackie Chan. Certainly nothing would get in the way of this one. This non-stop , sleepless flight, half way round the world would not be futile, would it? Well, it wasn't. It proved to be all we had hoped and then some.

There was a car at our hotel at 4 o'clock. The idea was to take us to Jackie's new movie complex and office, where he was interviewing and shooting pictures for an article in an upcoming issue of Forbes Magazine. Then, he would spend some one- on-one time with us, on a walking tour of some of his most prized collections. Then, if you can imagine, take us to dinner.

Jackie Chan is a collector. He'll be the first to tell you, "I never throw anything away. I didn't have much as a child. So, everything is treasure." We peered through antiques Jackie has collected from most of the Chinese dynasties. Pieces, he says, which will end up in his museum in Shanghai.

We were in awe of the costumes, saved, from his many movies, and, privileged to preview still photos, taken in preparation for his next motion picture, "Operation Condor", which will be shot on location in Hong Kong, Paris, Beijing and Taiwan. A remake of the old Condor series. And, all the while, I noticed one thing, Jackie hardly took his eyes off Dayne. This was Dayne's day. Jackie Chan knew this and took the time to make it a day my son will never forget. With his two dogs, J.J. and Jonsey tagging along, Jackie even blew off a few stunts, much like the out takes from his many movies, falling a few times, just so we wouldn't get bored. He had us in stitches. We were truly charmed and captivated.

Jackie Chan's studio and office complex, sits in the new territories of Hong Kong, high in the hills and somewhat removed from the bustling city. From here, is and unobstructed view of the ocean, with its own, seemingly private cove and harbor. Only a few other homes dot the landscape. As we a boarded our transportation, we wondered if we would ever have the opportunity of seeing this magnificent view again.

Soon, however, our thoughts turned to dinner. Jackie said he was buying and we headed to one of his favorite restaurants, "Lei Garden," complete with private dining room and authentic Chinese cuisine. In attendance were a dozen or so of Jackie's friends. He says, he always takes them to dinner before he leaves town for extended periods and included us in that elite group.

Dinner, itself, was something else. Dishes, never before tasted by most of us westerners. Very good! Just different.

Jackie made sure he had a seat at each of four tables. At our table, it was right beside Dayne. And, while I devoured a fish-rice soup, Dayne did not. Enter Jackie Chan, who explained to Dayne what it was and scarfed it down himself. Then, there was the Shrimp Fried Rice. Again, not to Dayne's particular liking, though he did manage a few bites, with chopsticks. Once again Jackie was seated beside him. And, much like a father would do, he recited what it was like when he was growing up in Hong Kong in a boarding school, and how he had to eat every piece of rice in the bowl, whether too much or too little, every piece, or he was sternly disciplined. But only in Jackie Chan style, could we find such humor in his childhood. And, following another quick monologue, he cleaned up Dayne's bowl of rice, in seconds, as my son rolled with laughter.

This is pretty much how the evening proceeded. With one last exception, Dayne's request from Jackie Chan was for Jackie to be his teacher in Martial Arts. The look on Jackie Chan's face was easily read, "Mmmm, the second lesson is going to be difficult to give in person", but quickly moved into action and taught Dayne a new move that he could practice and bring home to show his friends. Jackie stood behind Dayne and his wheelchair, took hold of his hands and helped Dayne perfect the move. He sat down, leaned over to Dayne and in his Chinese accent, said, "There! I am your teacher." Not one of us wanted it to end. But, of course, it did. And, this one ended with an exchange of gifts. Dayne is the proud owner of several Jackie Chan autographs, on shirts, flips-slops, towels, hats, even chopsticks (used by Jackie Chan) and a couple of Jackie's first movies. Dayne presented Jackie with an official Real Salt Lake jersey, since the actor is a huge soccer fan, signed by Dayne and a Paul Milsap autographed Jazz hat, along with autographed pictures of the entire Jazz team, at least as it is rostered right now.

But, the shining moment, as emotional as it became, was worth every sleepless minute on the airplane, every ache and pain, along with every other moment of unrest, as Jackie Chan moved in to kiss the girls, hug them and wish them well. He then hugged me, that solid man. I wished him well and promised to keep an eye on the rest of his career, which won't be hard to do. Then, it was Dayne's turn to say farewell. A hug that kind of embarrassed my son, as tears rolled down his red cheeks. But, a hug he is still feeling and talking about today. And, a promise from Jackie, that he would continue his worldwide fight against hunger and disease, no matter the cost.

I've never met an actor quite like Jackie Chan. Nor a man quite like Jackie Chan. I only hope Dayne, someday, can hook up with this talented and gifted person again. That's his dream. His motivation now. And, Dayne's happiness is mine. In the meantime, there are still the movies. I will watch them all again. And anxiously await the new ones, watching and feeling now, however, from a different perspective.

Good luck, Jackie. Thanks for caring. Keep up the good work. Keep us entertained. You're always in our thoughts.


For Dayne, Debi and Brittani, I'm Dick Nourse

SOURCE: SALTTVNETWORK.COM

Dayne Nourse Meeting Jackie Chan

Thanks to the Make-A-Wish foundation recently Dayne Nourse and Keisha Knauss found themselves in Hong Kong to meet Jackie. You can read more on JackieChan.Com here and here. This is Dayne Nourse's story below.

A young man's dream is about to come true, thanks to Utah's Make A Wish Foundation. The young man, is my son, Dayne Nourse, and his dream is to meet the legendary martial artist and star of the silver screen, Jackie Chan.

Dayne's love of action movies, especially martial arts movies, started when he was a child.

He loves the grace and beauty of the Karate experts and Kung Fu fighters, with their choreographed moves, their impeccable sense of timing, not to mention the heart pounding action. He's also drawn to the characters' sense of duty and discipline and their internal codes of honor. And while there have been a lot of martial art movie heroes over the years, few can match the courage and charisma of the incomparable Jackie Chan. Not only is he a martial arts master, he comes across as funny and a genuinely nice guy.

A short while ago my wife Debi and I were approached by Utah's Make A Wish Foundation. Over the years, I've told a lot of stories about the great work they do helping kids and families facing incredible challenges. We assumed they had another story they wanted me to tell on my new home at Salt TV. Imagine our surprise when they said they had another idea. They wanted make a dream come true for our wonderful son, Dayne.

Many of you may not know, Dayne, who is now 15, was born with a rare affliction called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease. In the course of his young life he's literally endured dozens of bone fractures, all the result of simple physical exertions that you and I would endure with ease. The slightest pressure in the wrong direction at the wrong time can cause his bones to shatter. The condition also means he'll be wheelchair bound and require a level of constant care until he comes fully of age. He's endured dozens of corrective surgeries over the years and come through them like a champ. But the road he's traveled has been anything but easy. It's also been daunting for his beautiful, caring mom and for me, but our challenges pale to what our brave son's been through. He constantly amazes us with strength and good humor.

Needless to say, we were grateful for the Make A Wish offer. When we discreetly asked Dayne if he had one wish what would it be, it didn't him long for him to come up with an answer. He wanted to meet the master, the one and only Jackie Chan.

When Make A Wish learned of his request, they didn't bat an eye. It was a tall order, that was for sure, but when you're in the business of granting wishes you learn how to take things in stride. A few days passed when we got the word. Dayne's wish was going to come true! But meeting Jackie Chan wasn't the only wish that was going to be fulfilled. The folks at Make A Wish had another grand notion. They asked Deb and me to help make it come true.

So, on a snowy December night just before Christmas, Deb and I took Dayne for a drive. He thought he was going to a Chinese restaurant and to a holiday party to boot. Both of those notions were somewhat true, but there was plenty more in store.

Minutes later when we entered the Red Lotus Martial Arts School in downtown Salt Lake Dayne soon realized something special was about to happen. For assembled inside were dozens of close friends and family members, not to mention martial artists kneeling on mats, poised and ready to put on a show. For nearly a solid hour this disciplined team who call the Red Lotus home, went through an array of awe inspiring drills. Their discipline and dexterity proved boggling, truly something to behold. Dayne was riveted; the display all encompassing, but the dojo master had something else up his sleeve. At the sound of a gong, he had an announcement about a special guest and a special presentation. That's when he asked Dayne to come forward ...

DAYNE'S DREAM COMES TRUE (PART II)

As Dayne was told to come forward the look on his face was priceless, a mix of wonder and astonishment. He had just been called out to present himself before the distinguished Sifu Jerry Gardner, owner and head master of the Red Lotus School of Movement, a seventh degree black belt, a highly renowned martial artist known worldwide.

Dayne took a deep breath and then made his way to the front of the class, where a couple of dreams came true. First, came the rarest of honors, as he was presented with a black sash in martial arts for his bravery and character in dealing with his life long affliction. Head Master Gardner read an official proclamation, noting Dayne's exemplary courage and welcoming him to the worldwide family of martial artists. Dayne's mother and I were deeply. Indeed, there was not dry eye in the house.

But then came the second revelation; not only was Dayne suddenly the holder of a distinguished black sash, he was also about to have another dream come true, to meet his hero, the one and only Jackie Chan. But there was a catch, he'd likely have to fly to Hong Kong in order to do it. When asked it if he was up to the trip, our cool and confident son had a straight forward answer. "When do we leave," he asked?

Well, this week Dayne's dream came true. After a short, 15 hour flight half way across the world, not only did he meet Jackie Chan, the actor treated Dayne to dinner and gave us all a tour of his Hong Kong office complex. He even gave Dayne a private Karate lesson!

The day started at Jackie' Chan's office, in the hills behind and above the bustling streets and skyscrapers of Hong Kong in the city's New Territories .

Here, this master of martial arts has his collection of antiques, studios, and memorabilia from all of his motions pictures including old wardrobes, stage props, and autographed pictures of other Hollywood celebrities, plus, his two beloved dogs, Jonesie and Jay-Jay. We were all treated to a very warn reception as Jackie prepared to be interviewed by Forbes magazine. Dayne's wish could possibly become a part of that article. Once that was completed, Jackie took things into his own hands and guided us through his complex, explaining the reasons for his most unusual collection. He even gave us a sneak peak at his newest production, "Operation Condor" which will start on location in Hong Kong, Beijing, Taiwan and Paris.

Jackie Chan is a most personable and generous in addition to being a true entertainer. He has donated millions to build schools in China, fighting the AIDS epidemic in Africa and helping victims of Natural disasters all over the world. He gives interviews, he travels, and the love of what he does is quite evident. In his busy schedule he had the time to grant a little boy his most precious wish. And take the time to become his friend. With the questions and answers complete, we were off to one of Hong Kong's most exclusive restaurant in a private meeting room with his friends for dinner with Jackie. It was here Jackie Chan's charm and energy shined through with stories about how he grew up in Hong Kong, how he learned martial arts, how he was disciplined, even explaining how some of his injuries still hurt.

It was a million bucks worth of entertainment in about an hour and a half. And the memories of how this action hero made his name will live on in our minds for a long time. He truly did become a friend. And when it was over it was almost like saying another Christmas has ended.

When Dayne was asked what he would like to do now he said, "If I could have a second wish, I would like to meet Jackie Chan again." And do you know what, I would too.

Reporting from Hong Kong, for SALT TV, I'm Dick Nourse.

SOURCE: SALTTVNETWORK.COM

MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION GRANTS ANOTHER WISH

Dayne Nourse, son of veteran KSL broadcaster Dick Nourse, received his black sash in martial arts from the Red Lotus School of Movement in recognition of his inner strength. Dayne suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta -- or brittle bone disease -- but he hasn't let it get him down.

The ceremony was also a chance for the Make-A-Wish foundation to announce it has granted Dayne's wish -- to meet Jackie Chan.

"Ever since I was a little kid I always wanted to meet Jackie Chan and I'm just happy that Make-A-Wish surprised me and tricked me into coming here," Dayne said.

Dayne is still waiting to hear when that meeting with Jackie Chan will take place, but until then, we at KSL offer him our congratulations.

SOURCE: KSL.COM
*** Photos on original post

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

We hope your visit with Jackie will be very soon Dayne, but however long it takes to finalise we know that it will be a memorable one.

Congratulations on your Black Belt!