“And I started hiding my personality and didn’t manifest certain character traits I thought others might consider feminine. “When I first started to see that I was different from other guys, I began formulating this list of rules that I thought would help me fit in better in society,” says Charlie. Sometimes he was teased by his peers for being different, and the fear of being labeled as gay caused him so much anxiety that he tried to hide who he knew he was deep down from others. But as she sat in her bedroom dreading school the next day, 14-year-old Charlie came in to cheer her up.īut not everyone saw these traits in Charlie as a positive thing. Once, Anne recalls being down about a boy she liked in high school when a relationship didn’t work out. This kid is a really special young man.’” He was one of those kids that you’re just like, ‘That kid’s going places. “People would comment on Charlie all the time, about how special he was. “This joy that he carried with him as a young child would just radiate off of him,” she says. Assuming his other preferences were just a phase, she says that while his being gay may have been in the back of her mind, she didn’t really think twice about it.Ĭharlie’s interests blessed the Bird family in multiple ways, and everybody knew that Charlie was special, says his sister Anne Bird Rodman. He committed to heart many scriptures and never missed a day of early morning seminary.Ĭharlie also enjoyed what might stereotypically be considered more masculine interests, explains Charlie’s mother, Cathy Bird Wallace. While growing up, he made temple flashcards from pictures cut out of the Friend magazine and then memorized the name and look of each building. Charlie stood out because of his love for the gospel, too.