There’s some people that you have never met but you feel like you’ve know them a lifetime.
Terry Madeley is one of them for me he truly feels like someone that I would have been bezzie mates with and enjoy hot cuppa mornings with java cakes , but sadly fate being AIDS made our paths never crossed.
I watched the documentary ‘Remembering Terry ‘and I can confirm BBC did it justice it truly was a fitting moving tribute.
And what is interesting its retro but still has so much relevance in our current modern climate.
Because sadly despite claims of attitude progression there is still fears regarding AIDS, but this documentary truly humanized it and gave it some more depth than just dreaded facts and figures associated with AIDS .
To me Terry was brave from the beginning to partake in a documentary that will be gritty and show the highs and lows of living with the dreaded disease and it truly was a roller-coaster for me ,as I saw how a vibrant man who was ambassador for positivity virtually succumb to depression before the disease killed him.
So I could imagine how he must have felt when your health was never stabile one minute you have a sense of health next physical deterioration.
What got to me he used his acting training to put on a persona infront of his family and guests because he didn’t want to burden people with his struggles, but everyone always saw through this and played along with him, as they knew that’s how he wanted it.
Who was another hidden treasure of this moving documentary the bond between him and his mum he was definition of mommas boy, and she truly fought tooth and nail to keep his spirits at ease.
I don’t know how a woman having strokes heart attacks and caring for a down syndrome daughter could endure the 4 hour journey on buses to see her son when he was dying of AIDS in hospital ,but as I say time and time again mothers are a different breed of superheroes who don’t always get that recognition.
What broke my heart was when he said what’s point of living when your life has no quality ,and its like having a fancy box of chocolates in a safe and you don’t know the combination to the safe what’s the point of having the box of chocolates then.
So this documentary even though in the 80s still can be a hot topic now due to discussion of assisted dying.
The small tokens I love from this documentary also all people physically embracing Terry there was always hidden ignorance hysteria of kissing or hugging someone with AIDS so these interactions were definitely a bold statement in that era especially.
A cure didn’t come in time for Terry but he definitely was one of the people that put us in a path to find the life saving AIDS medication we have now .
Trust me if you watch his funeral you will need a box of kleenex truly beautiful and sad at the same time and was his final performance for the world.
I truly hope his family know how much the world appreciates him and respect him especially that even while ill in his final days was still campaigning about AIDS.
He may not have a star in the Hollywood walk of fame but he was a star in many peoples eyes,and that is what I think he truly wanted and deserved.