“I was so lost, and so alone. I felt that loneliness in my bones, and one day he just shined his light on me, and I couldn’t stay away even if I’d tried. He was my best friend. He taught me how to laugh, and he gave me the confidence to be myself. And there were times when I really needed that. We started as boys in love, trying to build a life out of naivety and hope. When he got sick, plans and dreams for the future gave him hope.”
