Bago malagutan ng huling hininga, isang retired firefighter at decorated veteran ang umaming member ng LGBTQIA community.
Ayaw raw niyang dalhin ang lihim sa hukay, kaya ibinunyag niya ito sa kanyang obituary, na inilathala sa Albany Times Union, noong June 8, 2024.
Kasabay rin nito ang pag-amin sa kanyang long-term same-sex relationship.
Ito ang kuwento ni retired Colonel Edward Thomas Ryan, na ipinanganak sa Albany, New York, pero lumaki at namuhay sa Rensselaer, New York.
Bukod sa personal details, nag-come out siya sa kanyang obituary:
"I must tell you one more thing. I was Gay all my life: thru grade school, thru High School, thru College, thru Life.
“I was in a loving and caring relationship with [name of partner] of North Greenbush. He was the love of my life.
“We had 25 great years together.”
Nabanggit niyang namatay ang kanyang partner noong 1994 “from a medical Procedure gone wrong.”
Ililibing daw siya sa tabi ng puntod ng kanyang partner.
Read: Newlyweds "disrespected" by parish priest on wedding day
RETIRED COLONEL feared to be judged by society
Malawig ang kanyang naging serbisyo sa komunidad kaya’t nagawaran siya ng mga awards.
Itinago niya ang lihim sa pamilya at mga kaibigan sa takot na mahusgahan lalo pa't isa siyang respetadong officer.
“I'm sorry for not having the courage to come out as Gay. I was afraid of being ostracized: by Family, Friends, and Co-Workers.
“Seeing how people like me were treated, I just could not do it," pag-amin niya.
“Now that my secret is known, I'll forever Rest in Peace."
Naiwan niya ang limang kapatid at 14 na mga pamangkin.
Read: Woman experiences stomachache, clueless she is pregnant
RETIRED COLONEL WAS A DECORATED ARMY OFFICER
Si Edward ay dating fireman ng City of Rensselaer na naging colonel sa army.
Miyembro siya noon ng Vietnam Veterans of America.
Isa siya sa owners and founders ng isang FM station sa Albany, at dati rin siyang chef sa American Legion post sa East Greenbush, New York.
Ilan lamang sa natanggap niyang parangal noon ay ang National Defense Service Medal dahil sa serbisyo niya matapos ang 9/11 attack sa U.S.
Nabigyan din siya ng service medal ng New York government dahil sa kanyang military service at military career.
Bago pumanaw, nagbilin siyang ibigay ang kanyang organs sa Albany Medical College bilang anatomical donation.
Pagkatapos nito ay ike-cremate ang kanyang mga labi at ibabalik sa kanyang pamilya.