Tributes & Stories
Here, we share stories and footage of HGM MacCallum, kindly provided by people from all over the world and published with their permission.
If you would like to send us anecdotes and photos to publish here, please send an email to info@hgmmaccallum.com - thank you!
Grand Master Héctor Marano, Chair of the ITF Technical & Instruction Committee:
I have many anecdotes with HGM MacCallum (whom I’ve called Tom since 1981, when we became friends in Argentina while practicing together the 4th Dan forms), but there is one conversation I always remember.
After General Choi Hong Hi passed away, we met in Montreal, at the Clarion Hotel Montreal, together with other masters and with Master Tran Trieu Quan as host, to decide the future of International Taekwon-Do Federation and how to move forward without its founder.
After the meetings, the two of us stayed alone at the hotel and had dinner together. We reminisced with great nostalgia about all the moments we had shared over the 22 years that had already passed. As we imagined what Taekwon-Do would be like from that moment on, we cried and laughed together while sharing a glass of wine. We grew very close that night, which will always remain in my memory.
From then on, we shared another 22 years, each of us preserving— from different roles— the legacy of our founder. I also always remember that we would speak whenever important decisions for the ITF had to be made.
I keep the best memories of every moment we shared.
A hug to heaven for you, Tom.
Image kindly provided by GM Marano
Grand Master Clint Norman, Senior Vice President of the ITF:
HGM Tom MacCallum was a man of strong character and wasn’t afraid to make his point of view known if you liked it or not. His presence demanded respect and our members always listened to his thoughts, opinions and advice.
Over the years his influence was instrumental in the development and direction of the International Taekwon-Do Federation. As an ITF Board member myself, I had many opportunities for one-on-one conversations with him where he shared his past experiences and insight on the future of ITF.
HGM MacCallum legacy will live on as he has forged the path for all of us to follow and admire. He remained loyal and dedicated even through hard times to the founder of Taekwon-Do, General Choi Hong Hi and the ITF membership till the end of his life.
HGM Tom MacCallum will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and his extended Taekwon-Do family worldwide!
I consider HGM Tom MacCallum my senior, a colleague and most of all my friend!
Yours in Taekwon-Do,
GM Clint Norman
9th Degree
Senior VP ITF
Grand Master Gordon Wallace, Member of the ITF Umpire Committee:
My recent anecdote is when we all went for a curry in Glasgow. The highlight was that I was attempting to eat what restaurant billed as the Hottest Curry in the World. I had been in training scoffing Vindaloos. I signed the waiver and then it arrived. I was just more than half way through when HGM asked what I had. I said its the Hottest Curry in the world. HGM said oh I like a spicy curry. I said this is no ordinary curry it us outrageously hot. Thats ok he said,Ill jus dip my naan in the sauce. In went the naan, then he took a bite. It took a few seconds then....he was bent over double coughing and spluttering. I was slapping him on the back asking him if he was ok but all I hot was hand signals as he couldn't speak. He finally surfaced, bright red and I gave him some of my yogurt drink to neutralise the chilli. Then he was ok. I got my certificate, then we went back to the hotel.