During the Vietnam conflict, a young American Hockey Player, Matthew, goes to college in Canada on a scholarship. There, he meets and falls in love with a beautiful young French-Canadian coed, Gabrielle. After a stupid stunt, Matthew loses his scholarship and is faced with having to return to America where he will become eligible for the draft. His grandfather, having served in the military, encourages him to do the right thing and to do his duty. At first, Matthew is conflicted, staying in Canada but soon realizing his inability to provide adequately for Gabrielle. He enlists in the army and goes to Viet Nam. While there, Matthew's heroism costs him greatly. Gabrielle is told thru a letter that Matthew has died in Viet Nam. She is pregnant with his child, something she never got to tell him. After the child is born, Gabrielle decides to travel to America and visit Matthew's mother and grandfather to show them their new grandchild. While she is there, Gabrielle discovers that Matthew is not dead, but has been Seville injured. Now confined to a wheelchair, with both legs gone, Matthew lied to her so that she would go on with her life, unburdened with him and his special needs. The film ends with their heart-wrenching reunion at a veteran's hospital and Matthew meeting his child for the first time.