Warriors in Grief
OUR STORY
In Will's Words
THE BRAVEST MAN I EVER KNEW
Will & Hank — West Coast Martial Arts Academy
It is with great sadness that I announced the passing of my twin brother, Hank. On Wednesday, June 14th, 2017, Henry John Deutschendorf II lost his battle with schizoaffective disorder.
Many people knew him as Baby Oscar in Ghostbusters II, or as John Denver's nephew. Others knew him as a brother, son, martial artist, teacher, uncle, or friend. What people did not know about Hank was that he suffered from schizoaffective disorder — a chronic mental health condition combining bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. He experienced hallucinations, delusions, depression, and mania. It is a very severe mental illness that usually requires a lifetime of treatment.
Hank was diagnosed in August of 2008. If you knew Hank before his diagnosis, you knew a young man who was upbeat, healthy, witty, kind, outgoing, and always ready to stand up for people.
"My brother was left with a bandaid for a gunshot wound."
Medication curbed the delusions but it did not stop the voices. The side effects took a toll — Hank felt like a zombie, lost his personality, gained weight quickly, slept for twelve hours a day, and had to use all of his willpower just to lift his hand to drink a cup of water.
Hank fought for his life every day. He tried everything — supplements, meditation, strict dietary plans, exercise, homeopathic medicine, acupuncture, and more. By the end, he had 25 voices, all with different personalities and opinions, but mostly agreeing they did not like Hank.
Despite all of this, Hank thrived. He didn't take a real sick day from work for nine years. He earned his third and fourth degree black belt in Kempo, bought his own condo, and found the love of his life. He and Will took over West Coast Martial Arts Academy in 2012 when they were just 24 years old, and together they built it into one of the most successful martial arts schools in San Diego.
Our parents will always remember him as a loving son. His nieces and nephews will remember him as the funnest uncle who was always ready to play. His students will remember him as a mentor, in martial arts and in life. His girlfriend will remember him as someone who made her feel like the most important person in the world. I will remember him as my best friend, my business partner, my brother, and the bravest man I have ever known.
Who Was Hank?
It is very important to our family to help spread awareness about mental illness and suicide prevention. If your first reaction is to ask what you can do — it's to help us do everything we can to help others suffering from the same illness as Hank.
That is why Warriors in Grief partners with the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) — the world's leading private funder of mental health research. Since 1987, BBRF has awarded more than $365 million to fund more than 5,000 grants to more than 4,000 scientists around the world. 100% of donations for research are invested directly into research grants.
FROM LOSS TO MISSION
Will was the one who found Hank on June 14th, 2017. That day changed everything. In the years since, he has channeled his warrior spirit into advocacy — raising funds for suicide prevention, speaking publicly about twin loss, and building the community he wishes had existed when he needed it most.
In 2025, on what would have been the twins' 37th birthday, Will launched a fundraiser titled "Hope is Stronger Than Fear" — raising money for Friends for Survival, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting survivors of suicide loss. That fundraiser became the seed of Warriors in Grief.
His daughter's name is Hope. He chose it deliberately. Because hope is the only thing stronger than fear.