What a strong, resilient man. Despite being born into a society that would normally reject him for being born gay, he was blessed with role models to support him and instill in him the inner strength to seek the positive and strive for the best. The fact that those who pushed him seemed to come from unlikely mentors made his story even more touching. The African-American teacher seeing him and understanding him without judgement and the grandfather in Appalachia who saw the good he could do in politics, again without judgment, both show that motivation in the lives of young people is invaluable.