Tragically Hip superfan gutted to hear news of Gord Downie's cancer: 'He brought us all together'

Steve Ayres who has seen the Tragically Hip 33 times considers himself to be one of the band's biggest fans.

He was devastated to hear the band's front man, Gord Downie, has terminal brain cancer.

"It'slike finding out a family member is about to pass away," said Ayres, who is a radio DJ withCIFMand B-100inKamloops, B.C.

"The Hips and GordDowniehave been with me and a soundtrack of my life since the late 80's, since the first time I heard them," he said.

Ayres has seen the band in concert 33 times.

"I do that because you never know what you're going to get with a Hip show," he said, adding that he would sometimes see the band a few nights in a row and the 'setlist' would be different each night.

The band has vowed to tour one final time and Ayres said he definitely plans to be there.

'He brought us all together'

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• GordDowniegets love from fans after The Tragically Hip reveals cancer diagnosis

Ayres said the band brought people together through intellectual lyrics about Canadian history.

"Without being a full-on patriot, he really brought that patriotism to Canada and their fans," he said.

Fans are flocking to the the Tragically Hip message boards to write tributes today and as Ayres said, "we haven't even lost him yet."

With files from the CBC's Daybreak Kamloops.