A heralded Vietnam War hero revealed a heartbreaking ‘secret’ in his obituary, after hiding his sexuality over fear he would be isolated and ostracised – as told on the Marty Sheargold Show.
Edward Thomas Ryan, passed away at the age of 85 at his home in New York, following a battle with cancer.
In is obituary, Ryan admitted to being a gay man in a secret relationship with Paul Cavagnaro of North Greenbush.
“I must tell you one more thing. I was Gay all my life: thru grade school, thru High School, thru College, thru Life,” the retired US veteran’s obituary read in The Times Union.
“I was in a loving and caring relationship with Paul Cavagnaro of North Greenbush. He was the love of my life,” Ryan wrote. “We had 25 great years together. Paul died in 1994 from a medical procedure gone wrong. I’ll be buried next to Paul.“
“He was the love of my life. Paul died in 1994 from a medical Procedure gone wrong. I’ll be buried next to Paul.“
Marty Sheargold said there would be many stories similar to Ryan’s today, but no one should feel the need to hide their true self.
“If you’re a kid living out in the bush in a country town listening to this, you can be gay with a capital G mate,” Sheargold said.