If the measures of a life well-lived is your impact on people and the legacy you leave behind, Gord Downie packed more than most into his 53 years on this earth.

It has been heartening to hear stories of Downiesa国际传媒攖he enigmatic and eclectic leader of the Tragically Hipsa国际传媒攊n the days after his death to brain cancer. He was many things in his life: Poet, singer, dancer, activist, but perhaps his best trait is just as a good person.

If you donsa国际传媒檛 know someone with an sa国际传媒業 met Gord storysa国际传媒� then you wonsa国际传媒檛 have to go far to find people touched by his kindness.

But for all of the accolades, the music, the songs, the memories that Gord Downie left us with, it was in the last years of his life that he made the most impact. He was a bright shining light and when cancer came calling, he decided to shine that light on Canada, the country he had immortalized in song over an incredible career.

Downiesa国际传媒檚 work to publicize issues resulting from Canadasa国际传媒檚 residential school fiasco was the last part of his legacy and one that should live on as we move forward, along with all of the music.

sa国际传媒淭he man who walks among the starssa国际传媒� is such a glorious name that the Assembly of First Nations bestowed upon Downie. For he had taken the First Nationssa国际传媒� fight for respect and reconciliation to the mainstream and, as always, spoke from the heart when he talked about our countrysa国际传媒檚 problems.

sa国际传媒淚t will take a 150 years or seven generations to heal the wounds of the residential school, to become a country and truly call ourselves Canada,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚t means we must become one. We must walk down the path of reconciliation from now on. Together and forever. This is the first day of forever, the greatest day of my life, the greatest day of all of our lives, Thank you.sa国际传媒�

And one last quote to share about the man who now dances across the sky. He once told the CBCsa国际传媒檚 Laurie Brown that if he could rip out his heart while on stage and share it with each and every person in the audience, he would do it.

And thatsa国际传媒檚 exactly what he did, every time he hit the stage. Werensa国际传媒檛 we lucky.

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

kparnell@kelownacapnews.com
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