Tributes pour in following news of Gord Downie’s death
Tributes poured in Wednesday for Gord Downie, the frontman for the Canadian band The Tragically Hip who was considered a national treasure. Downie died Tuesday at age 53.
Downie, dubbed Canada’s unofficial unofficial poet laureate, had glioblastoma, an incurable form of brain cancer. He died with his children and family close by, according to a statement from his family.
“Gord knew this day was coming — his response was to spend this precious time as he always had — making music, making memories and expressing deep gratitude to his family and friends for a life well lived, often sealing it with a kiss … on the lips,” the statement said.
The tributes were led by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was visibly shaken when talking to reporters.
“Gord was my friend,” said Trudeau. “But Gord was everyone’s friend … our buddy Gord, who loved this country with everything he had.
“And not just loved it in a nebulous ‘Oh, I love Canada’ way, he loved every hidden corner, every story, every aspect of this country that he celebrated his whole life.”
John Tory, the mayor of Toronto, tweeted that Downie’s music was “an essential part of the soundtrack of Canada.”
Downie’s band was one of Canada’s most successful musical groups. The Tragically Hip never caught on in the United States the way it did in Canada, but for some Canadians, that made them even more special.
Downie learned of his illness last year. The Tragically Hip responded by announcing a 15-date tour that, in effect, became Canada’s chance to say goodbye to the much-loved band.
The Hip, as the band is also known, played its final concert in its home town of Kingston, Ontario, on Aug. 20. It was broadcast live on the CBC, the country’s state broadcaster, and was an unofficial national event with Canadians gathering in community halls and parks around the country to watch the final show. The Toronto police tweeted — half jokingly — that Canada would be closed on the night of the concert.