The Icons of My Youth: Bruce Lee and Eddie Van Halen

Growing up, two of my biggest heroes were Bruce Lee and Eddie Van Halen. They represented two things I loved—martial arts and 80s rock. They were innovators, originals, the best at what they did. Bruce Lee revolutionized martial arts not just in practice but in philosophy, breaking down barriers and changing the way the world viewed combat sports. Eddie Van Halen redefined what was possible on the guitar, blending classical precision with rock energy to create something entirely new. They weren’t just great at their craft; they changed the game.

Eddie Van Halen even makes a brief appearance in my book—not directly, but Calvin (the protagonist) and Ilse attend a Van Halen concert, and there he is, on stage, larger than life. Bruce Lee doesn’t appear in The Wake of Expectations (he does in the upcoming sequel), but his son Brandon gets a mention. You’ll find it when you find it.

Identity and Discovery

One of the major themes of The Wake of Expectations—and something I explore in depth in Chapter 18—is identity. Calvin, like me, is of mixed-race background. Half Asian, half white. It can be a complicated thing to navigate at times, and it’s something that naturally became a part of my storytelling. But it’s also something I didn’t always think about when I was younger.

Take Bruce Lee. As a kid, I just thought he was Chinese. It wasn’t until much later that I learned he was a quarter European (Dutch and/or German). Mixed race.  Like Calvin. Like me. Eddie Van Halen? I always assumed he was just a Dutch kid who moved to California. Turns out his mother was half Indonesian. Like Bruce, like me, he was part Asian, part white.

But here’s the thing—when I was 14, I didn’t admire them because of that. I didn’t even know. I just admired them because they were great. Great at stuff that I loved.

Representation vs. Inspiration

Representation matters. Seeing people who look like you or share your background can be inspiring, especially when you’re young and searching for role models. But that’s not why Bruce Lee and Eddie Van Halen were my heroes. That’s not why I admired Bo Jackson, either. Bo was one of my favorite athletes growing up, and he was neither white nor Asian. He was just awesome.

I didn’t see them as representatives of a race—I saw them as great at what they did. I wanted to be great too.

That’s what drew me to them. Not their backgrounds, but their brilliance.

And whether they were of a different race or I just didn’t know that we were similar, I could see myself in them. Or, at least, I wanted to.  

What We Take from Our Heroes

It’s only in hindsight that I can appreciate the connection, that I can recognize the significance that two of my childhood heroes shared a mixed background similar to mine. I actually thought there weren’t any role models like that back then. No one “like me.” But there they were, right in front of me, the whole time. And it didn’t matter. I didn’t know and I admired them anyway. I wanted to be like them. It’s interesting—maybe even ironic—but it still doesn’t really matter. What mattered was their excellence, their innovation, their refusal to be anything less than extraordinary.

Now, Calvin…he’s not really great at anything. But he’s human. Like me. Like Eddie Van Halen. Like Bruce Lee.

And he’s trying his best to get through life. And trying to connect with the people around him. Like you, too, probably.

And his experience probably resonates more if you’re a musician. Or a writer. Or you didn’t always agree with your parents. Or a girl (or a boy) you liked didn’t like you back.

And his story might mean a little more to you if you’re Filipino. Or Irish.

But you don’t have to be half Asian or half white to see yourself in him.

You don’t even have to be great.

Javier

© 2025 Chapelle Dorée Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. This content may not be reproduced, distributed, or modified without permission.