He
peered out sincerely through his small eyeglasses,
and his massive, metallic silver-covered hands
quivered as he spoke of so many of his friends
that have died over the years, and of a friend
(an AIDS
survivor of 17 years) who recently committed
suicide—because the
physical
effects of AIDS are hard, and if they don’t
get you, the emotional hardships that come from
confronting your
mortality
will. He urged people to do the ride, to sign
up today. He has seen people’s
suffering
and triumph on these rides, and to experience
these huge emotional ups and downs through the
ride is a way to get a glimpse of what PWAs
deal with every day. It was a powerful,
emotional plea...
During the
conversation, I asked
Bob
about his role as cheerleader. “So you really
love it, huh?” “Yeah,” he said. He elaborated
on how he would do this all the time if he could,
that seeing us do this ride gave him so much
hope. That
people
still care, that people are calling attention
to the fact that people are still dying from
this disease.
He said he didn’t get bored doing this, that
we are his
heroes
for doing this. He sees doing this ride, I think,
as nothing shy of people sharing his burden
and bringing
suffering
upon themselves to help him. To my surprise,
he also emphatically affirmed that the
physical
challenge of cycling is at least slightly
indicative of what it’s like to
live with
HIV. I pressed him further, saying how at
first, I thought that cycling had nothing to
do with AIDS. He responded, invoking popsicle
hill. “You can’t not climb that hill and tell
me there’s no connection about pain and determination,
pushing yourself when you think you can’t. I
can’t think of a better metaphor for
living
with HIV than those hills. You go up those
hills, you struggle to do it and you think you
can’t, but you have to do it anyway. There’s
no way around it. You can’t just sit at the
bottom of the hill and cry there. You’ve got
to go up it. And then there’s those super-fast
downhills, and everything is fucking great.
That’s how it is. Ups and downs, and you’ve
got to do it.”
Good
afternoon everyone. My name is
Bob
Bowers I can’t tell you what an incredible
heart felt honor it is to speak before you
today. I am a twenty-one year
survivor
of HIV/AIDS and I did not get here alone.
I love
inspirational quotes. Not just reading them,
but applying them to my life to the best
of my ability. A recent one I happened upon
is, “It takes each of us to make a difference
for all of us.” How incredibly true it is.
I did not stay alive this long without the
help of incredible agencies like
AIDS
Network and awe inspiring
individuals
you are about to welcome home, the riders
and crew of this years ACT II
AIDS Ride! They truly are my Heroes
and nothing short of amazing people who
truly give a damn to make a difference in
the lives of people like myself
living with this disease called
AIDS!
It would
take me hours to describe to you the mountains
I have climbed in my
survival.
AIDS
forces me to battle daily, on a
physical,
emotional
and
spiritual
level in ways I’d often prefer not to if
I had the
choice.
It has become a
battle
I’ve grown to welcome, for I stand before
you today with more conviction to life,
self and others than ever before.
I am
an HIV educator and
client
advocate. I am pursuing my heart and
dreams. The care,
support and services I personally receive
from
AIDS Network allow me to care for myself
and
advocate
on behalf of my friends living
with HIV/AIDS. To help remember as well,
those who have been ripped from our lives
far too soon from this
pandemic.
I am blessed. I am doing what I’ve dreamed,
loving God myself and others to the best
of my ability. My emotions are raw, my spirit
is tattered at times and my
body
is often tired. However, as long as there
is breathe left in this body of mine, I
will not stop
spreading
the word that 11 people a minute are
being infected in this world from a
virus
that is entirely
preventable.
This truly disgusts me! I hope you
will each continue do your parts in this
fight
against AIDS as well.
Ignorance and
complacency are just as lethal as an
AIDS
diagnosis can be. Thank you for being
here and thank you for caring about those
of us
living
with disease. God bless you all and
let’s hear it for ACT II and
AIDS Network!
Below photos
taken at ACT II Closing Ceremonies
< The amazing
Jeanne
Our incredible
lunch crew, Pete, Whitney and Orit >
< The beautiful
water girls, Natalie and Lisa
One remarkable
and beautiful family! The Silverstein's
>
< My new
found Heroes, Erin and Katie
Nothing but peace
and love for the Watermelon Man >
< Meet Joe and
Joyce Dargan from our wonderful medical crew
I can barely stand to look at the
rider less bike, the pain is truly overwhelming.
However, the fight and passion it evokes within
me, is so worth the tears and pain.
Out of every trauma in our lives comes something
good if we choose to see it that way! I so choose!
My journey with
this
disease has been bittersweet but one I'm
proud and grateful to have walked. I dearly
miss
my
DOZENS of fallen friends who once were brave
and beautiful warriors in this battle with me.
There are only a few of us left fighting. Our
cure is your
compassion
and commitment
to the
cause.
When you are out there struggling this week
remember there is indeed a similar and eerie
parallel to the struggles those of us
living
with HIV/AIDS face daily. I live it, I walk
it I know.
It will be daunting and overwhelming at times
to say the least. You CAN and will make it up
those hills to see a better day. Even if I have
to push you up myself!
I truly look forward to sharing the tears, pain,
joy and triumphs with you in this week that
I love to describe as, a slice of heaven, the
way the world should operate! For it is together
we can and do make a difference.
As you have miles to reflect, I implore you
to not forget why we are doing this. We must
not stop fighting for a world that is
free from
AIDS!
Allow yourself to feel the feelings. Please
know that those of us living with this
disease
would not be here without your generous
commitment
to life and self.
Even after my 21 years of
survival,
I have a hard time seeing myself as a
hero.
In my opinion I'm looking into the eyes of the
TRUE heroes!
Ride safe my dear friends and Thank you from
the bottom of my heart ACT II riders, crew,
steering committee and
AIDS
Network, you will never know how deeply you
are loved and appreciated.
Hey
Bob - Just wanted to write and
say hi. Thanks so much for
being with us on the ride... honestly,
I think it was the best ride I've
ever been on (out of 7), and your
presence had a lot to do with that.
I can't say enough - about your
presence, your
speaking at opening and holding,
your movie, and everything else.
It really helped remind people why
they are doing this and why we are
all in this together.
I hope you are doing well my friend,
and hope I get to see you soon.
Be well, Brian
Children
of the corn, Mary, Heather and Melanie
Bob-
Wow-You are truly amazing! From Lunch
Lady to expert hugger you gave 120 percent
all day long. Everyone can thank you
thousands of times, but it will never
be enough for all you did for ACT II.
I am honored and humbled to work with
you and know your love can move mountains.
I saw it in action this week. God Bless!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
Kevin
Training
day with Lori, Toni and Lora
Thank you Katy for sharing this with
all of us!
Here's
to the crazy ones. The misfits. The
rebels. The trouble-makers. The round
heads in the square holes. The ones
who see things differently. They're
not fond of rules, and they have no
respect for the status-quo. You can
quote them, disagree with them, glorify,
or vilify them. But the only thing you
can't do is ignore them. Because they
change things. They push the human race
forward. And while some may see them
as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because
the people who are crazy enough to think
they can change the world, are the ones
who do.
my
DOZENS of fallen friends who once were brave
and beautiful warriors in this battle with me.
There are only a few of us left fighting. Our
cure is your
