Gord Downie dead at 53
TORONTO, ONT. – Gord Downie, the poetic lead singer of the Tragically Hip whose determined fight with brain cancer inspired a nation, has died, according to a statement on the band’s website.
He was 53.
In the wake of his diagnosis with glioblastoma an incurable form of cancer the musician became a symbol of perseverance in the face of his mortality.
He spent the last chapter of his life raising funds for brain cancer research and advocating for the rights of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples.