My own fears of death have not gone. I often think
what it would be like if tomorrow I’m told that I have cancer. I’m telling
people they have AIDS everyday. And some of them are very young, they’re very
young.

    I remember a young man came to the office recently to talk
to Dorothy, the assistant medical director, and quietly I said to her: "Dorothy,
he’s coming to say goodbye."

   
I remember a woman who came and said, "I want to go see my mother." So I gave
her the opening and said. "Do you think you are getting worse?" She said, "Yes,
I think I am." And I asked her, "Are you afraid?" She said, "No, I’ve done
everything I want to. My children are all right, I’ve done that, but I need to
see my mother." So I gave her a hug. We said goodbye and I watched her walking
up the street. Another counselor who also had said goodbye to her was looking
out another window and we were all watching. She walked like a queen, you know.

    I mean it was really very holy ground.