ALBANY, N.Y. (WNYT) – Col. Edward Thomas Ryan’s obituary made national headlines when it was released last month. In his obituary, the colonel wrote, “I must tell you one more thing. I was Gay all my life: thru grade school, thru high school, thru college, thru life.”

Col. Ryan passed away on June 1 with his obituary being released on June 7. The colonel was honored in the community at Rock’s Bar on Sunday.

People began to fill the bar just after 4 p.m. Sunday to celebrate the colonel. The event was free and open to the public but did accept donations.

“All the donations from the donation box, people are writing checks, and we have the silent auction, and people have been very generous and stepped up. Again, because of Colonel Ryan’s service to both the country and to Rensselaer,” said Jim Larson, who organized the event, and said he has seen tremendous support.

All of the donations will be going to either the Veterans Miracle Center or the LGBTQ Fallen Heroes Fund, Larson said.

People NewsChannel 13 spoke to at the event hope that Ryan’s story will make a change in society.

“He didn’t feel as though he could live his true life. So, we’re just trying to make sure that in the future people have that capability,” Lance Rider, Rock’s owner, said.

Ryan’s niece, Linda Sargent, said that she had known his secret more than 15 years but kept it a secret.

Sargent said in his obituary that Ryan “wanted to put down that he was gay, and let the world let him know that he was gay.” However, she said that the amount of attention it got truly shocked her.

“I was totally surprised. It broke my heart. I cried, I cried. Like, you know, because I just cried. I turned around, and I just couldn’t believe, you know, how many people connected to his obituary that he wrote himself in,” said Sargent.