2009 World AIDS Day; Remembering Dan

Very Few People Have Not Been Touched by the Tragedy of AIDS

As the months wore on he seemed to grow more frail and even weaker. Soon he started to come through the door using a walker during his visits. Finally he announced that he was going 'home'. His family was going to take him in up in Seattle. He said that he had to go home since it was becoming hard for him to care for himself and he wanted to be with his family during his final days.

I can still remember telling Dan goodbye. I knew that I would never see his happy face again and it broke my heart. Two short months after his departure his family made a donation in his name and I knew that he was gone. During his absence I had sent him a card from everyone at the Humane Society and all his furry friends but it had gone unanswered. I assumed he was just too sick to reply.

Even today I think about Dan. He found solace with animals who accepted him regardless of what his illness was. I know that in those early days times were horrible for those afflicted with AIDS so I'm glad that he found my little world of animals and the close knit society at a small animal shelter to welcome him. He touched us all with his utter kindness and I still miss him.