He lived like most other Gay men in Toronto. Gay PRIDE was alive in the getto. Most lived in the towering apartments of the local neighborhood. They worked by day and were social in their community at night. There were few reasons not to party as Gay liberation was in full bloom in Toronto. These people were family unlike his homophobic home of origin in the Ottawa Valley.
Then, almost overnight a flood of health concerns and Gay men arose in the early 1980s. Was it caused by the drugs, a toxin, the parties, sin? It did not much matter as he witnessed, cared for, and buried his former lovers, partners, and friends. Then he became Ill just about the time the HIV test was first being offered. HIV positive his test result…an AIDS death sentence it was well known. His lover divorced him on hearing the news. He courageously keep up his respected child welfare practice at the local CAS as long as he could and more. He greeted you at the front door of Toronto PWA where he was one of our first brave volunteers. He struggled little but had every reason to suffer as AIDS weakened his lungs, infected with PCP, the pneumonia no one wanted. His life cut short in his early 30s and, so much was lost by all. A brave, tender, loving man.
I let go of him for all my own insecurities, anger and fear. Today, I would hold onto love.