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A Well Deserved Honor

Tonight, my wife, Kate Broderick, will receive the 2012 Humanitarian Award from the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

Anyone who knows Kate knows that this honor is a well deserved recognition, even if she would object to the attention.

According to VCIC, the awards are presented to individuals who have demonstrated a personal commitment to the promotion of respect and understanding among people of diverse racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds.

Kate's entire career has been spent helping others -- first as a nurse, then as a school teacher, and most recently in Old Dominion's Office of Educational Accessibility. In between, she raised three wonderful, compassionate boys, and was supportive of me as my career grew more demanding.

At ODU, she has been an amazing advocate for students with medical, psychological or learning disabilities. There is nothing she wouldn't do to help her students succeed, such as the December she drove a golf cart around campus in a snow storm to ensure they were able to take their final exams.

She recently told Inside ODU that she's been "blessed to work with many individuals who demonstrate courage, and who fight against insensitivity and discrimination on a daily basis."

That's precisely the characteristic that separates true heroes from others, isn't it? The assertion that they, not the recipients of their efforts, are the ones who benefit most. It is a selflessness to which the majority of us can only aspire.

Kate would tell you that she was taught these values by her mother, Joan Evon, and by Sheryn Milton, the former director of ODU's Office of Disability Services. Indeed, in her silent actions every day, Joan taught her children the power of a life spent helping others. Sharyn's passion for equality for people with disabilities was inspiring. But make no mistake, a beautiful soul like Kate's is innate. She may have been shaped by wonderful role models, but her strength, dedication and desire to do the right thing is hers alone.

Tonight, those gathered for the awards ceremony will see what I have been blessed to have as a part of my life for more than 30 years -- a truly beautiful woman. Congratulations, Kate!

This article was posted on: March 29, 2012