That is amazing and your ex-boss is a very rare person, a person of integrity, a person who is trustable. Yes, respect, honor and value him! but don't make the mistake of putting yourself at risk by gambling on someone else's being that way. I am so sorry to have to say that, but I say that from harsh experience.The reason I ask is because I'm still friends with my ex boss. We became friends while working together. But I know situations might not repeat.
Funnily enough at my last job when I got the job offer, I was so torn. So i told my boss about it. He looked through the offer, checked the benefits. Explained the difference I would pay in insurance. He spent hours looking through the benefits, vs the benefits I had with my current job.
I asked him not to tell anyone until I was sure, and he didn't. He's an amazing person that I have great respect for, and I still text him from time to time.