The Karate Kid franchise has served many ’80s and ’90s kids with an amazing portrayal of martial arts and a lot of exciting fights. Its spin-off series, Cobra Kai, created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg, is an extended karate world. Continuing the story from the original films’ ending, the Netflix series immediately made its place in fans’ hearts with thrilling fights between the teenagers of the modern world.

Amidst this renowned continuation of the beautiful art, the MiyagiVerse recently lost an iconic star, Pat E. Johnson. The Cobra Kai creator, Jon Hurwitz, penned down a heartfelt message for the trainer. 

Jon Hurwitz thanked Pat E. Johnson for creating a firm foundation for Cobra Kai

Pat. E Johnson was an American martial artist with a 9th-degree black belt in American Tang Soo Do. The 84-year-old champion passed away on the 5th of November from natural causes. To pay respect to the legendary man, Hurwitz took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) and wrote a heartfelt message for him with a gesture of gratitude. Expressing a sense of loss, he praised the martial arts star.

The creator of Cobra Kai acknowledged his significant influence, expressing gratitude by saying, “So thankful for the foundation he created.” He also passed on condolences to Johnson’s family. Johnson’s niece confirmed his shocking demise on her Facebook handle. As soon as people heard the news, they expressed their heartbreaking emotions.

It also made fans nostalgic remembering the mark he left on The Karate Kid film along with Cobra Kai. His legacy is deeply carved throughout the MiyagiVerse which is extraordinary.

Pat E. Johnson’s unforgettable legacy in The Karate Kid

With his exceptional mentoring skills, he successfully trained renowned actors like Pat Morita (Mr. Miyagi) and Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso). Interestingly, he also contributed to Macchio’s character, Daniel LaRusso’s iconic crane kick. As Johnson once jokingly told Sports Illustrated in 2018, he trained Morita and Macchio separately. Despite their different trainings, they bonded over one common trait: complaining.

Notably, Johnson also had a tremendous effect on William Zabka, who played Johnny Lawrence. Zabka, whose Just One of the Guys inspired the spin-off series, had expressed his respect for the late champ in 2019. He expressed his gratitude to Johnson for influencing him greatly while appreciating his dedication. He gave Johnson credit for his success by saying he had built Zabka from nothing. The actor appreciated all the hard work the martial arts expert did on him.

Share your thoughts about the expression of love and loss by the Cobra Kai creator and fans in the comments below.