Had a ton of fun writing my recent article for Rare Disease, inspired by the What If series of Marvel comics.
https://raredisease.net/living/what-if
I’m retroactively dedicating this one to Garth McMurray. Garth was avid comic book fan and artist that we recently lost. I mostly knew Garth- who also lived with hemophilia and HIV- online. He was always so supportive of my many public endeavors in education and art (music). He designed the logo for The Committee of Ten Thousand, I’ll never forget how adamant legendary bleeding disorders activist Cory Dubin (RIP) was that I make contact with Garth.
In recent times, I did my best to reciprocate the years of kindness and support by sending Garth some notes of encouragement. He was just in and out of the hospital so frequently- my heart really went out to him because their is just an innate kinship when you’ve walked similar paths where medical adversity and heartbreak are concerned.
I didn’t know Garth as well as many others had the privilege to, but their words of grief reinforced my hunch and experiences. From my eyes and heart, Garth simply radiated kindness. That soul is no longer tethered to the body that all of these medical conditions can run roughshod through. I like to think he is somewhere, meeting the light of his heroes, reconnecting with his old friend, Ryan White, and enjoying the use of the kind of superpowers that DC and Marvel couldn’t even begin to dream up.
I’ll leave you with Garth’s words, one of my favorite quotes of all-time… rest easy, blood brother.
“Until there’s a cure… there’s The Cure.”
– Garth McMurray (April 8, 1968- August 21, 2023)
