Dear friends,

Thanks for joining me again for AIDS Walk Austin 2012! I am raising money for Waterloo Counseling Center, one of the great organizations supported through AIDS Walk Austin.

I'm walking again this year to remember my friend, Paul. We met back in 1983 when we were both 17. He was my lab partner in high school, my partner in crime and the best friend anyone could have. He drove a maroon camero, and we used to cruise our small town park and listen to Van Halen. I still think of him when I hear "Panama."

I lost him at age 30 in 1996 from AIDS. I think I miss the sound of his voice the most. 16 years is a long time to go without late night phone calls or impulsive visits with him driving to Austin from Dallas on a whim. It's been 16 years since I sat with him at a Jack in the Box at 3am, just talking and nursing a Diet Coke.

So I'm doing this for him. And I'm doing this so no one else has to lose their best friend way, way too soon.

I hope you will join me and make a donation to Team Waterloo.