Phillip Hudson

In memory of Michael, Tracy, Butch, and so many others

Back in the late 1980s, we started the first HIV support group in the Upstate. It was held in a small, out-of-the-way church in Greer and was a safe space for those with HIV who feared being outed by their status. As the years passed, nearly all those support group participants lost their lives to the epidemic.

In those years, there was nothing to do but help make them as comfortable as possible for the remainder of their lives. So, for me, the AIDS Memorial Quilt was a sobering reminder of all those dead or dying during the late 80s and early 90s.

Many panels on this quilt were created by those who died from the illness or completed by their families and friends upon their death. But in 2019, things are brighter. The AIDS Memorial Quilt offers a different, more positive perspective today. It is now a reminder of how far we have come with a possible end to HIV in sight. Today, these panels symbolize hope. Death rates are down and those living with HIV and AIDS can now live a normal lifespan because of the services provided by Piedmont Care.