By David Rhodes, Feature Photo via CBC

Gord Downie’s music— both with The Tragically Hip and as a solo artist— is a pure expression of human spirit and emotion. He questioned and defined what it meant to be Canadian and remained in constant dialogue with our country and its people. Like for many of us, Gord Downie is one of the threads that bind my family together. Whether it was “Fifty Mission Cap” coming on the radio on my way to school or putting on an album to help survive a long road trip, the Hip have a special place in my childhood memories. My dad and I had the privilege of seeing them perform twice, including last summer during their final tour. The wide range of emotions we all felt that August night in Toronto provided us with a powerful, yet unwanted, sense of closure. That show—bookended by “Courage” and “Ahead by a Century”— will stay with me forever and represented the best of Gord and his life’s work.