▁Dam ski ▁wrote ▁ob it ▁columns ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁alone , ▁ ▁sounds ▁like ▁the ▁to ll ▁of ▁war : ▁community ▁organ izer ▁and ▁G irth ▁& ▁M irth ▁founder ▁Ira ▁Jones ; ▁Wind y ▁City ▁Times ▁co - found er ▁Bob ▁Be arden ; ▁Out s ider ▁artist / D J ▁and ▁Dam ski ▁muse ▁Om ega ▁Michael ▁Or set ti ; ▁political ▁cart oon ist , ▁A ID S ▁activ ist , ▁and ▁A CT - UP ▁co - found er ▁D anny ▁S ot om ay or ; ▁and ▁Chicago ▁Ald erman ▁Kath y ▁Ost erman . ▁" ▁ ▁They ▁did ▁not ▁all ▁die ▁of ▁A ID S , ▁but ▁many ▁of ▁Dam ski ' s ▁friends ▁and ▁compan ions ▁did . ▁He ▁rec alls ▁those ▁lost ▁to ▁A ID S ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁when , ▁writing ▁about ▁relationships , ▁he ▁rem embers ▁that ▁his ▁mother ▁had ▁" t old ▁me ▁to ▁date ▁many ▁and ▁younger ." ▁He ▁lists ▁" J oe , ▁David , ▁Dan , ▁Bob , ▁Bry an ▁and ▁my ▁long - time ▁companion , ▁Om ega ▁[ Michael ▁Or set ti ] ." ▁ ▁" I ▁am ▁not ▁bitter , ▁just ▁in ▁shock . ▁I ▁feel ▁like ▁I ▁have ▁been ▁hit ▁by ▁God ' s ▁own ▁St un ▁Gun ." ▁ ▁After ▁Dam ski ' s ▁diagn osis ▁of ▁m align ant ▁mel an oma ▁two ▁years ▁later , ▁an ▁un common