David Rae was a sports junkie growing up in Southern California. He played, watched and collected. He was a high school football quarterback who transitioned into cornerback and played for the prestigious California Interscholastic Federation ( CIF ) championship while also, GLEE-like, participating in his high school's choir.
Rae went to National Football League ( NFL ) games and also many University of Southern California ( USC ) battlesas his dad, Mike, played for the Trojans and then was an NFL quarterback.
Rae collected sports cards and now owns more than 100,000, along with about 3,000 autographed items. He has signatures from such sports legends as Joe DiMaggio, O.J. Simpson, Nolan Ryan and Deion Sanders. His prized collectible is an autographed painting of Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr.
"I was an avid sports memorabilia person as a child, and still am, though not as much," he said.
Rae, now 33 and living in West Hollywood, is a successful financial planner who still has his hands in the sporting world, just different sports, with a different outlook.
He is now a triathlon participant who truly has taken to the bicycling portion of the three-sport event. After all, he has participated in the annual seven-day, 545-mile AIDS/LifeCycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles for the past four yearsand is registered to ride again this June.
Plus, Rae has been among the top 25 fundraisers all four years. He raised $14,500 in 2011, helping his 60-member team raise more than $400,000.
The AIDS/LifeCycle raises money and awareness for the HIV and AIDS services of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. About 2,500 rode last year, and the event raised about $13 million.
"I've always been athletic and I was looking for something to do sports-wise. Friends suggested [ participating in the AIDS/LifeCycle ] , and I just thought it'd be a great challenge," Rae said. "For me, [ the event has ] expanded, grown from the athletic aspect to the philanthropic aspect.
"It truly is an amazing event, one that has changed my life and changed what I can do for others. Hearing the stories of those who I have helped through the fundraising, hearing how their lives have changed, some who admit that they likely would be dead without the support … it's powerful.
"It's simply an amazing experience, though daunting … sleeping in a tent for a week … using Porta-Potties … sitting on a bike for a week is tough enough. I call [ the ride ] an adult summer-camp. No phones, no Internet, yet 3,000 people, [ which is riders, crew and event staff ] all working for the same causeto ride, to support, to cheer."
Rae will be joined on the ride, set for June 3-9, by his partner of 2-� years, Ryan Meadors, who Rae said, "is fast and likes [ riding up ] hills."
"The bottom line [ of the ride is ] , the [ L.A. Gay & Lesbian ] Center would not be able to do a large portion of what it does without the money that comes in from this event," said Rae, who has supported multiple LGBT events and causesthough his personal coming-out was, well, a bit tense.
Such is life for the son of a former NFL quarterback.
The elder Rae played football and basketball at USC, playing quarterback on the Trojans' 1972 National Championship team. He was named the MVP of that team, which ESPN selected as the greatest college football team of all time. Rae went on to play 13 years of professional football, and was a member of the 1976 Oakland Raiders team that won the Super Bowl during his rookie season.
He has been the golf coach at Saddleback College since 2008.
"I'm sure he started to realize [ I am gay ] when I started to get more involved with musical theater and was part of a choir," while in high school, Rae said.
He came out to his mom, Terri, at age 20.
He didn't tell his dad until he was 25.
"He has been amazingly supportive, but it definitely wasn't … easy telling him, nor was it something I wanted to do," Rae said. "It's been a very positive experience [ coming out to my parents. ] I'm fortunate that I haven't had a lot of the negative [ experiences ] that a lot of people have."
Rae said he has limited memories of his dad's playing career, mostly just that he attended a few games.
"I probably should have told him earlier," Rae said. "I wouldn't say [ coming out to him ] was easy, but it's much easier to not have to hide who you truly are and have people who you love and yet you feel that you can't truly share your life with.
"I am lucky to have two supportive parents."
Still, Rae said his mom was afraid for him when he told her. "I think she cried for a week. I think she was really worried that [ being gay ] was going to make my life really hard. But life has gotten much easier over the years."
The Rae's have since learned of other gay relatives and friends.
"There were a lot of gay people around once we opened up about it," he said.
Rae, in January, was named the 2011 Athlete of the Year by Compete Magazineand featured on the cover of the publication.
"David easily won over the selection committee. The only thing that trumps his athletic abilities is his genuine desire to help others. It was that combination that made him stand out," said Eric Carlyle, publisher/CEO of Compete Magazine.
Rae, who also appeared on the magazine's cover last summer, said the annual award is, "very nice, a big honor." He was the runner-up in 2010.
Rae and Ben Cohen, a superstar rugby ally who participated in events last summer in Chicago in conjunction with the annual Gay Softball World Series, are the only two-time Compete Magazine cover boys.
Rae also was in Chicago last summer, vacationing here during Northalsted Market Days.
"Chicago is a fun place to visit, and I've been to Wrigley Field," he said. "I can't imagine being a Bears fan, sitting outside at Soldier Field in the winter when the temperature is 0 degrees. I'm much happier watching football sitting on the couch."
But Rae truly is an accomplished athlete, just like his dad.
This story is part of the Local Reporting Initiative, supported in part by The Chicago Community Trust.