I'm heartbroken. How can people be so cruel?

[janterry]

106. but you don't know and it might have been for the best

had others in town known, perhaps they would have been angry - scared - worried about infection. You remember those times - in some places people were driven from their homes.

His parents nursed him and loved him. If they mistreated him, turned away his circle of friends (those he was 'out' with) - well, for sure that would be sad.

But many parents did not nurse their dying children back then. The fear of contagion was too great.

Perhaps the love that they gave him was well received? Does he have any siblings? You could reach out to them and pass on some memories and just touch base.

I think that conservative parents in Georgia --at that time, who sheltered and loved their dying son - in the face of widespread fear - I don't know. It could have been an act of courage and love.

I remember the fear. I KNEW I couldn't catch it from casual contact (by then we all knew that). But at that time, when folks had open sores (Kaposi's sarcoma). I don't know. I'm not a nurse - but had I nursed someone with KS at that time, I would have been worried about contagion - the thinking was that you could get it from open sores.

I'm glad he had a place to take him in and (I hope) love him. Many people did not have that.