. ▁One ▁of ▁these ▁men ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁Pet rel is ' ▁friends ▁to ▁die ▁of ▁the ▁disease ▁that ▁would ▁later ▁come ▁to ▁be ▁known ▁as ▁acquired ▁imm un ode fic iency ▁synd rome ▁( A ID S ). ▁ ▁A ID S ▁diagn osis ▁ ▁Through ▁the ▁early ▁months ▁and ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁Pet rel is ▁suffered ▁from ▁a ▁persistent ▁ill ness ▁that ▁one ▁doctor ▁diagn osed ▁as ▁influen za ; ▁by ▁that ▁summer , ▁he ▁had ▁developed ▁a ▁" bum p " ▁on ▁his ▁arm ▁and ▁was ▁referred ▁to ▁a ▁der mat ologist ▁at ▁New ▁York ▁University ▁( N Y U ) ▁Hospital . ▁At ▁first , ▁Pet rel is ▁b alk ed ; ▁ear ning ▁his ▁living ▁as ▁a ▁temporary ▁office ▁worker , ▁he ▁had ▁neither ▁ins urance ▁nor ▁money ▁to ▁pay ▁a ▁der mat ologist . ▁Ur ged ▁by ▁the ▁referring ▁phys ician , ▁he ▁rel ented . ▁ ▁At ▁NY U ▁Hospital , ▁Dr . ▁Patrick ▁N . ▁H enn esse y ▁removed ▁a ▁bi ops y ▁of ▁the ▁susp icious ▁les ion ▁and ▁st itch ed ▁the ▁inc ision . ▁Pet rel is ▁remembered ▁not ▁wanting ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁st itch es ▁removed , ▁again ▁for ▁lack ▁of ▁ins urance ▁and ▁money , ▁assuming ▁that ▁" if ▁there ' s ▁bad ▁news , ▁they ' ll ▁call ▁me ▁up ▁and ▁tell ▁me ." ▁When ▁H enn esse y ' s ▁office ▁did ▁call ▁and ▁ins isted ▁Pet rel is