Sopel, who stood on the float of the Chicago Gay Hockey Association, said he participated in the parade to honor the memory of the gay son of his former general manager.

Brendan Burke had come out as a gay man when he was 21 and working for the hockey team at Miami University of Ohio. He was killed in February in a car accident on a snowy and icy road in Indiana. Burke is the son of Brian Burke, the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team. The elder Burke was Sopel’s general manager while he played with the Vancouver Canucks.

“Anyone who buries his son is heartbroken,” Sopel said. “It should never happen. It’s in their honor that I’m participating.”

Sopel was traded last week to the Atlanta Thrashers but will remain in Chicago throughout the summer. He said he intends to make Chicago his home, even if only in retirement.

“Chicago has brought me great memories and I hope to one day be playing again for the Blackhawks,” he said. “After my career is done, I’ll be staying here.”

Sopel was accompanied by his wife, Kelly, who wore badges with the initials “BB” in Brendan Burke’s memory. He said the couple’s children didn’t attend because they didn’t want to endure another huge crowd scene and the time and effort it requires.

“We raise our kids to believe that everyone is equal,” said Sopel, a 33-year-old native of Saskatchewan, Canada. “Everyone is a person, regardless of race, color or religion.”

Sopel said he believes that gays “lead a tough life trying to deal with all of the stereotypes” and he hopes one day, “things will be clear and wide open for everybody.”

:allah::allah: