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As the tragic story of Leelah Alcorn’s suicide is still developing, Ray Toro has decided to dedicate a new song to the late Ohio teen.
Toro, the former lead guitarist of My Chemical Romance, decided to release the song – titled ‘For the Lost and Brave’ – and dedicate it to Leelah Alcorn. Leelah Alcorn is the trans teenager who took her own life late December. The story reached major news outlets following a suicide note she scheduled to post on her Tumblr. As reported yesterday, the Tumblr was recently deleted at her parents’ request. However, the note can still be read at Vada.
Toro wrote the following blog post to accompany the release of the song:
‘I wrote this song about a year ago, waiting to release it on my record when it was complete. There have been many times that I’ve almost put it out, but have always found a reason to hold it back. But lately there seems to be so much hate and misunderstanding in this world.
‘As I’m sure many of you felt after reading the news of young Leelah Alcorn taking her own life, my heart sank. I felt sick. Yet another young life gone because of not being heard, not being understood, and not being unconditionally loved for who they truly were. After hearing her story, and reading her final Tumblr post, I finally felt it was time to share this song.
‘It is time we learn to accept each other for who we truly are. Being seen, heard, and truly loved as our authentic selves is something we all want, and something we all deserve.
‘For The Lost And Brave.’
Listen to the song below.
