This is how Kerry Burke reacted when her son Brendan told her he was gay: She thought about being a grandmother.
It was December 17, 2007, right before Christmas, at the family home in Canton. Brendan, then 19 years old and a student at Miami University in Ohio, stumbled over the words at first, or maybe he was merely testing the waters when he babbled something about how he might be gay. But he quickly steadied himself, and the words that followed were clear and strong: “I’m gay,” he told his mom.
Kerry Burke, who had been mulling this possibility from the time Brendan was in the third grade, hugged her son and then said, “I always thought you’d make a great father. And I still think you’re going to be a great father.”
A few days later, this is how Patrick Burke reacted when his younger brother Brendan told him he was gay: He hugged him, told him he loved him and that nothing has changed.
And then, to prove nothing has changed, Patrick Burke busted his kid brother’s chops.
“Now,” he said, “I know why you never hung up that Patriots [team stats] cheerleaders poster I got for you.”
This is how Ed and Elaine Gilmore reacted when their grandson, Brendan Burke, told them he was gay: They financed a pizza party.
Thinking that telling his grandparents might be his most difficult coming-out errand, Brendan had instructed his mom to wait 30 minutes and then join them. He then headed next door to his grandparents’ house.
When Kerry arrived as scheduled and saw Brendan sitting at the table, having a casual conversation with his grandparents, she assumed her son hadn’t gotten around to making his announcement yet and so made up a lie about needing to borrow something from the kitchen.
“We’re all set,” Brendan told his mom. “I told them.”
It had been so easy. He said to his grandparents what he had to say, and Ed and Elaine smiled. Ed then said, “OK, Brendan, you’re a good kid. You keeping up with your lessons?”
Lessons. Ed Gilmore was raised in Dorchester and attended Grover Cleveland Elementary School. In his neighborhood, and in his time, you didn’t do homework. You kept up with your lessons.
“Yes, I am, Grampy,” came the reply.
Ed Gilmore then reached into his wallet and pulled out a bill. He slid it into his grandson’s hand and said, “Can you get some pizza for you and your friends for $20 out there in Ohio?”
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