A Geelong karate instructor is being remembered as an “inspirational person” after his sudden death in Thailand. But Malcolm Isles also has a dark and traumatic past, which led him to discover martial arts and rebuild his life.
But Malcolm Isles, 58, who died in hospital after being pulled from the sea off the coast of Pattaya on Monday, also had a dark and complicated past, including several years in prison for attempted murder. I admit it…
People who trained with him, some for many years, say he is a champion martial artist, a “climate change warrior,” and an advocate for people with disabilities. It is said that he was also a person.
He had three biological children and two stepchildren.
His daughter Jasmine Isles, who rushed to Thailand to see her father's body, said his father “thought he was invincible.”
“He tried to find joy in everything he did,” she says.
“He's a good man and he turned his life around.
“He lived his life in service to others.”
Sadness and solidarity were on display this week at Shiryodo Karate, just outside of Grovedale, as students young and old gathered to remember their beloved “shihan” (meaning “master”). It was obvious.
Mr. Isles is the owner and head instructor of the dojo, which he founded in 2001 and now has more than 400 members.
Shiryodo Karate leaders gathered at the dojo Thursday to honor the life of Malcolm Iles.Photo: Mark Wilson
Comments on social media described Mr. Iles as a “great teacher and human being” and “a truly wonderful person who gave so much to so many people.”
Isles said he was relieved to know his father would be missed by so many people.
“He was able to impact so many people's lives in a positive way,” she said.
In 1992, before he turned his life around and discovered karate, Mr. Isles pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to attempting to murder his de facto wife and was sentenced to nine years in prison, with a non-parole period of five years.
Iles removed the smoke detector and took off from inside the door handle, then doused the victim's bed with gasoline and started a fire with a cigarette lighter.
The woman managed to escape through the window. Isles also escaped the flames.
Judge James Gobbo said Mr Isles was suffering from a “mental disorder” at the time and described the crime as “horrific”.
After completing his minimum sentence in prison, he became obsessed with fitness and martial arts, vowing to find strength and growth.
“This led me to start working out, boxing, kickboxing and eventually karate,” he told the Geelong News in 2007.
“At the same time, I also completed a degree in psychology to better understand what I was going through and how I could prevent this.
“What I also discovered was the sense of self-worth, purpose, and belonging that traditional martial arts can bring to people.”
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He also talked about his childhood trauma, struggle with drugs, and mental health.
At the age of 12, he suffered near-fatal burns to 90% of his body, but he was grateful to the staff at the Royal Children's Hospital for saving his life.
Ms Isles was left with severe scars on her face and body and said her injuries had made her early life “very difficult”.
“I turned to drugs as an escape and was drawn into a world where violence and lawlessness were the norm,” he said.
Isles said karate helped him overcome adversity he faced in his life, including being threatened at knifepoint by an intruder in his home.
Kendra Schmidt started practicing Shiryodo Karate when she was five years old, and now, 19 years later, she is a senior black belt and one of the dojo's most senior members.
“We have a lot of people who started when they were kids and are still involved. We have a lot of people who literally grew up here and we have kids who are still growing up here,” she said.
Students and instructors gathered at Shiryodo Karate Thursday to honor the life of Malcolm Iles.Photo: Mark Wilson
For members, the dojo is a “family'' that accepts everyone who passes through its doors.
Sensei Michelle Denham said she has an intellectually disabled son who started karate and was accepted into the dojo.
“I don't think he could have done karate anywhere else,” she said.
“This was the first and only time my son was put into a normal environment.
“He went to special needs school. People who don't understand disabilities, people who don't live with disabilities, can't understand the effects of it.”
Mr. Isles and his Thai wife, Dar, host members at their home two or three nights a week after training.
Malcolm Isles and his wife Da and son Andrew.Photo: David Monk
“You can't leave a dinner without bringing up the topic of climate,” said Andrew Meese, a member of Shiryudo Karate.
Mr Isles was a “climate warrior” who persistently wrote letters to local politicians and attended seminars in Queensland where Al Gore spoke.
“He rallied the whole dojo and we went all the way to Melbourne to participate in climate change events and demonstrations…His whole movement was about asking what happens to future generations,” Schmidt said. said.
Mr. Isles has won multiple titles in Australian Seido Karate and was runner-up at the Asian and International Championships.
“Karate is more than just learning how to fight; it's much more than that. It's about self-awareness, self-growth and respect for those around you,” Meese said.
According to Thai media, Ailes entered the ocean after smoking marijuana and became trapped.
A local man carried Mr Isles to the beach, where paramedics performed CPR.
He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but he never regained consciousness and later died.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said it was providing consular assistance to Mr Isles' family.
This includes support from Thai and Australian authorities to help with funeral arrangements and repatriation of Mr Isles' body.
A DFAT spokesperson said: “We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the bereaved family at this difficult time.”
