• Ralph Macchio wrote an essay for this week’s issue of PEOPLE about his relationship with Pat Morita.
• Morita played Mr. Miyagi in the 1984 film The Karate Kid and its sequels.
• He died of kidney failure in 2005 at the age of 73. Cobra Kai, a television series, debuted five years ago.

Anyone who has seen the Netflix series Cobra Kai knows that Mr. Miyagi continues to inspire Daniel LaRusso and his family.

The same can be said for Ralph Macchio, 61, and Pat Morita, who played Miyagi in the 1984 hit film The Karate Kid and its sequels — and died of kidney failure in 2005 at the age of 73.

“His influence on my life will be felt in 2022,” Macchio says.

Following the publication of his new memoir, Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me, Macchio wrote the following essay for this week’s issue of PEOPLE, which is now on newsstands, reflecting on his relationship with Morita as part of the ongoing “What I Wish I Could Tell You” series.

I’m not sure you’d believe me if I told you everything that’s going on with The Karate Kid is based on something we helped create nearly 40 years ago. Your legacy and contribution to the world through your portrayal of Mr. Miyagi shines brighter than ever.

He exists in a new chapter of the Karate Kid universe. Cobra Kai, a television series, debuted five years ago. It continued the story 34 years after the first Karate Kid film. I have the incredible opportunity to walk in your sensei’s shoes as I share the wisdom and experiences from our days together. The spirit of Miyagi pervades the entire show. However, it is Pat Morita’s spirit that resonates with me and others.

Whether it’s your comedic sushi-ordering abilities, your seamless transitions in and out of character (complete with fart jokes and cross-eyed zingers), or the care you took when meeting my children years later, these moments are imprinted in my mind and are as present to me as they were when they occurred.

On the street, 12-year-old children approach me, and they recognise Mr. Miyagi. They ask if you “were a cool guy,” and my adult children frequently respond, “the coolest.” Thank you for the gift of our friendship, for blessing us with your brilliant portrayal of the iconic Mr. Miyagi, and, most importantly, for your ongoing presence in my life.

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