Sharon: …My greatest regret is that we never….never fully bridged the gap between us.  And in front of all of you and before God Almighty and my daughter, Dana up in Heaven….I want to apologize.  …..I apologize for the times in which I did consider politics first instead of the plights of my daughter growing up.  And Dana….if you’re listening up there….I do apologize to you….  Because I knew who you were all along.  I tried to fight that, even when the rest of the World already knew what I refused to publicly acknowledge.  My daughter….she was gay.  That did not make her less of a human being and I apologize if my words or actions over the years indicated otherwise.

Sharon, for the first ever in a speech begins to choke up.  Howie slowly shakes his head, his head down and his eyes closed.

Howie: ….Mommm….

Sharon: I never wanted her to be out…..and because of that, I began to lose her long before breast cancer took from me.  I….I couldn’t see past my own stubborness to see the daughter that I loved dearly.  And I say this, because I know that there are other families that are dealing with this same issue right now.  To those families, I say come together.  Do not let…your own stubborness get in the way of the relationship you have with loved ones.  Do not wait like I did when it’s too late to make amends.  Embrace and accept who you are….and embrace and accept who your loved ones are.  Because no matter the outcome, they are indeed just that…your loved ones.  And that’s more important than anything.  Love.  I thank you for coming here…and I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to express these feelings and concerns.  The lifetime we spend and the love we have are the most precious things in this World….and we should do everything in our power to preserve that.  Part of that preservation is fighting this disease…this cancer….before it takes any more lives away than it already has.  I join in this fight…and I pray that we all…join in this fight together.  Thank you…

Sharon backs away from the podium and the crowd stands and applauds.  Except Howie.  The fact that his mother would finally accept reality publicly as it concerns Dana overwhelms him.  He also fears that it may further drive a rift in his broken up family.  Howie stands…but he doesn’t applaud.  His eyes are open, but he sees nothing.  A check is donated to breast cancer research by Sharon on stage, who is still feeling a bit of emotion over finally publicly addressing her own daughter’s sexuality, silly as she feels it may seem to some.