Gord Downie joins Blue Rodeo on stage for surprise appearance in Toronto

Tragically Hip frontman Gord Downie made a surprise appearance Thursday night at Toronto’s Massey Hall with Blue Rodeo and The Sadies.

Downie was brought onstage during the concert’s encore to help perform Blue Rodeo’s 1992 hit Lost Together. (Watch the emotional clip above.)

Downie has a history of collaborating with The Sadies and recorded the 2014 album And Conquering Sun with the band.

READ MORE: Gord Downie chosen as Canadian Press Newsmaker of the Year

The 52-year-old recently performed at the We Day youth empowerment event at Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre. Organizers announced the surprise performance in a news release, and Downie was quoted as saying he looked forward to the opportunity to connect with young people “passionately working towards a better tomorrow.”

WATCH BELOW: Gord Downie plays surprise concert at Halifax’s We Day event

1:06 Gord Downie plays surprise concert at Halifax’s We Day event

The Canadian icon revealed in May 2016 that he has glioblastoma, an incurable and rare form of brain cancer.

Many people and organizations have since spent a lot of time on charitable works to raise money for brain cancer research.

Most recently, Kevin Kerr, who runs a company called Epidemic Music Group, created the fundraiser the Longest Concert by Multiple Artists. The 16-day event will raise money and awareness for 16 different charities, including the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research and The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjac Fund. More than 400 performers have already signed on to perform at the concert.

Canadian rock trio Rush also recently made a generous gesture to Downie by donating $40,000 to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research.

Aside from receiving treatment, the father of four has been busy promoting his Secret Path solo multimedia project, which recounts the life of 12-year-old Chanie Wenjack, who died in 1966 after running away from a residential school.

WATCH BELOW: Gord Downie and the Secret Path

2:07 Special screening of Gord Downie’s animated film ‘The Secret Path’ in Saskatoon

• Special screening of Gord Downie’s animated film ‘The Secret Path’ in Saskatoon
• Gord Downie performs ‘The Secret Path’; inspired by Chanie Wenjak
• Chanie Wenjack’s sister talks reading about brother in Gord Downie’s ‘The Secret Path’
• Gord Downie announces ‘Secret Path’ concert dates in Toronto, Ottawa
• Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie releases honouring Chanie Wenjack

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With files from The Canadian Press, Sean Previl and Brent Furdyk