Glenn Gregory Brake

April 2, 1985

Age 34, Houston, AIDS

Born 11/10/50
Panel made by his cousin, Gene Brake
Gene posted this tribute a few years ago on World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day and though I tried several times to put together a thoughtful post
on what the day means to me, I just couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to relive those early
years of horror. When I think of all the funerals we had to attend and all the NAMES Project
panels I helped make over the years, I get a cold feeling sweep over me.

So I will simply share a photo of the first panel I made for my cousin Glenn Gregory Brake.
On one of my visits to the family cemetery in Pearsall, I saw a new grave and then saw it
was his. I called my Aunt Edith to ask what had happened that he died so young and she
told me had died from AIDS, that he was living in Houston. I hadn't seen him in years and
was horrified that if I had known, I could have been of some help to him or his immediate
family, as I too lived in Houston up to just before then.

When I went to see the NAMES Project first display in Washington, DC I knew I had to make
a panel for him. I didn't know him well, I didn't know his likes and dislikes, but I knew he
grew up in rural South Texas so had planned to make a panel that looked like Texas. The
night before I went to the fabric store I had a dream that he wanted a sailboat on his panel
so that's what I did. I of course didn't realize he went by his middle name, so I put only his
first name on the panel. By the time I discovered the error, I had already turned in the panel
and no longer could access it to make changes. Ah well, I know it was for him and I hope he
does too.

Glenn Gregory Brake 11-10-1950 to 4-2-1985. Sail away my cousin, I hope you like the panel.