News Anchor Came Out to Fulfill A Promise He Made As A Kid

Dan Kloeffler, anchor of ABC's World News, says he came out publicly during a broadcast earlier this month as part of a promise he made to himself that if he ever achieved success he'd "help break down walls of hate."

In an op-ed he posted on Huffington Post, Kloeffler writes about the media and public attention that greeted his own on-air admission that he's gay while reporting on actor Zachary Quinto's decision to come out publicly. He also recalls his painful childhood, and although he had a supportive family, he was often teased by other children for his appearance and not being adept at sports.

Kloeffler writes, "As I was growing up, I swore that if I ever enjoyed any kind of visibility or success, I was going to somehow help break down the walls of hate that hold others captive. I was fortunate to be surrounded by loving family and friends, but as we too often hear, not everyone is so lucky. "

Kloeffler also mentions his plans to become involved with GLSEN and the "It Gets Better" campaign, saying that while he realizes he isn't as famous as Oprah Winfrey, "if I can help just one person, I'll have kept my word."