To Late

This story is about loving someone for who they are no matter what. Nobody should have to die alone. This is a true story, just the names have been changed.

 My Dads younger sister Judy was married in 1959 to a man named Tom. A year later, there son Tim was born. He was a beautiful baby boy. A few months down the road, Tom walked out on Judy and the baby leaving her on her own to raise a baby. Judy had to move in with her parents. It was tough but Judy's parents helped raise the baby. Tim was about 2 years old when Judy married a man named Robert. He loved her and little Tim.
Robert and Judy moved into there own home and raised Tim together.
They began to notice that Tim was very feminine for a boy and Robert didn't like that. Robert started treating him different. Tim now 16 years old decides the best thing to do is move away from his family. He moved to Arizona and started working and making a life for himself. He kept in touch on the phone with his Mother. He came to visit her a couple times but Robert still made him feel bad. His last visit he decided not to go back. It hurt him to much to be treated like something is wrong with him. Tim was close with his Aunt and they talked for hours on the phone. He told her everything that was going on in his life. She kept it to herself. Many many years go by and Tim is doing great with his job and he liked it. He was happy.
One day Robert and Judy sat down to talk about Tim for the first time. Judy wanted to see her son so bad, Robert agreed. They planned a trip and called Tim to let him know when they would be there. He was not happy to hear that. He didn't want them to come.
Finally he decided to tell them the reason. This is what he said, "I have been in a relationship for 10 years now with a man, yes I am gay. I love him so much, but that's not it. I was diagnosed with HIV years ago and now it has turned to AIDS and I don't want you to see me like this."
Judy and Robert broke down in tears. They had to see there son. They took the first flight they could get and they were on there way. They stopped to get a hotel room for the night then they went to Tim's apartment. Knocked at the door, it took a minute but the door finally opened and Judy broke down. Her son standing there so fragile so thin, he looked like a skeleton. Once they all settled down, Tim told them, " Once I started to get real sick my boyfriend was so scared and walked out and left me here to die alone. Mom, I don't want to die here alone. I want to die at home. Please Mom."
Judy and Robert promised him that he would not die there alone and they would make arrangements for him to come home asap.
Judy and Robert left for home. Once they got home they were still in shock. They waited till the next day to make Tim's airplane trip. They bought the ticket and as soon as Judy went to call Tim to give him the information, the phone rang. The person on the phone said, " I am a friend of your sons, I just got to his place, Tim passed away." Judy collapsed and Robert ran to her.
Judy screaming, "I promised him! I promised him that he would not die there alone!!! He wanted to come home!"
They made arrangements to have Tims body brought back home and have a small service.
The service was nice. It was of course a closed casket with a beautiful picture of him on top of it.
I can't help but wonder, if Robert would of treated him better maybe he wouldnt of felt he had to move away,
I can't imagine what Tim had to go through keeping that a secret from his family for so long. Its so sad.
Tim was my cousin and he was the nicest person. I miss him!