Man Sends His Eagle Medal to Shunned Gay Boy Scout

Andrew Zerbinopolous

The Boy Scout who was refused an Eagle Medal because he dared to come out to friends and family as gay will be getting the awards — but not from the antigay organization.

The New York Daily News reports that Dr. Andrew Zerbinopolous saw the story of 17-year-old Ryan Andresen and sent him his Eagle Medal.

“If I can make him feel like he has some support out there, it’s worth it to me to send him a piece of metal,” said Zerbinopolous, according to First Coast News.

Andresen had joined the Boy Scouts at age 6 "and since then he's dreamed of earning his Eagle Awards — the highest rank in the Boy Scouts," his mother wrote in an online petition calling for the award to be given.

The Scouts doesn't allow openly gay scouts or troop leaders. Companies like Intel that had donated to the group have ended their support to any local chapter that doesn't eschew the national policy. Still others like UPS refuse to stop making donations.

Watch more about the dentist who sent the medal in the video below.