Bryce Lokken is a Canucks fan and musician, who last night recorded a touching tribute song to departed Canucks enforcer Rick Rypien. The song itself is titled "Rick," and is extremely well done. It's something of a ballad, accompanied simply with an acoustic guitar and Bryce's own vocal stylings. The lyrics talk of heroism, of a tortured soul who never backed down, and of a soul at peace, though his battle lives on.

Check out the song, personally I really dug it and found it quite moving:

Read on past the break.

I've typed out Bryce's lyrics, because I think he did well to capture Rypien's memory and what Ryp meant and continues to mean to Canucks fans: 

Oh hero, you picked up our torch / Proudly fought our battles for us - when we could not / oh hero you forever earned your crown / you never backed down / we still believe that now.

Inspiration, now you're so far away / I can still see your face, the way you choked back that pain / oh hero you forever earned that crown /  you never backed down / we still believe that now.

Oh brave one, I've lived with remorse / when I should have reached out and lost my voice / oh hero we will continue your fight / I saw my own worst fears the moment you died.

Inspiration, now you're so far away / I can still see your face, the way you choked back that pain / oh hero you forever earned that crown / you never backed down / we still believe that now.

Inspiration, now you're so far away / I can still see your face, the way you choked back that pain / oh hero you forever earned that crown / your demons can't get at you where you're at now.

Rick Rypien's passing over the summer was a huge blow to the team and to its fans. During his life, Rick Rypien was a larger than life presence on and off of the ice, and in death, his memory continues to inspire. For Bryce, Rypien's story hit close to home, as he explained to me in an e-mail:

I've struggled with mental illness since I was about 14. I'm bipolar. I'm one of the lucky few of us that has a support system strong enough that I can take care of myself and live a prosperous, healthy (though not always easy) life.

I always looked at Rick as a symbol of a man that was fighting the same fight as me. When he took that break, I always thought about contacting him somehow and telling him that  was an inspiration to me - and that I was in his corner. I never did. It hurt a lot. Hence verse two...

When I asked Bryce if I could quote him in this post, his answer was telling: "Two months ago I would have said no. But in the spirit of MindCheck and trying to alleviate some stigma, yes." Rick Rypien's life and story has inspired the Canucks, Vancouverites and hockey fans in general to express themselves, and to be more open about mental illness. Though Rick Rypien - the man who never backed down - was taken from us far too soon; what an overwhelming and positive legacy he has left behind.

You can check out Bryce's other material at his youtube channel, or at his soundcloud page. "Rick" will be available for download on itunes soon, with all proceeds going towards mindcheck. I'll update this post and link to where you can purchase the track shortly. I also urge you to check out mindcheck.ca, and to speak up if you have a story to tell.