Courage and love

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke recently marched in a gay Pride Parade in Toronto to keep a promise he made to his son Brendan, who died in a car accident in February. Brendan had come out publicly as gay two months prior in an ESPN The Magazine article. Here's how National Post columnist Bruce Arthur described the promise ...

This wasn't Brian Burke's first visit to this celebration of tolerance. The year before, eight months after Brendan's revelation of his sexuality, Burke had flown his son to Toronto and taken Brendan to the parade.

It's easy to say you accept a gay son. It's different, in a town where you are very recognizable, to take your gay son to the Pride Parade. And as they watched the rainbow kaleidoscope of people spin by that day, Brian Burke made a promise.

"He said, 'I really appreciate you coming out,'" says Burke, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. "I said, 'Well, next year we'll march in it.'"

This story by Arthur made me cry (shocking, right?) but more importantly it's the most important thing that I've read in a while and quite inspiring.