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Light a Candle
Anthony Lee Yannetelli passed away at the age of 33, due to complications from AIDS, on 09/09/1993. Anthony was my best friend and confidant. We spent many years together growing up with each other, even though he was 5 years older than me, we had a lot in common. He was an understudy for the Broadway Play "Runaways" under the stage name of Mark Taylor. I was a singer, a male with a four octave range just about capable of breaking a glass - so he loved my Nina Hagen imitations, from the soaring highs to the belowing demonic sounding low ranges. We both LOVED The B-52's and listened to their music constantly, Anthony also used to love my Cindy Wilson imitations too (I'm telling you that high voice - I still get called mamn on the phone to this day) I have to say we were not angels in the least, we were a bit mischievious in our younger days to say the least. We first met at The Rocky Horror Picture Show when I was 14, very shortly thereafter, the former Cast left the Theater and Anthony put together his own cast, we were called "The New Somerville Cast" in Somerville, NJ. Anthony played the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, and he cast me as Magenta, and the girl that was doing Magenta moved to the role of Columbia. We had the time of our lives over the next 8 1/2 years performing in Somerville, Linden, Keyport, Westfield, Plainfield-Edison, Bound Brook, Monmouth County College, Princeton Market Fair, and Shopping malls (all in New Jersey) as well in New Hope, PA, and in New York City. I stopped performing when I was just in the middle of my 22nd year on this planet. Anthony was the glue that held the cast together, rehearsing new members to the hilt, making certain we performed a mirror image to the film - he definitely was the director, and we became excellent at our craft due to his dedication as well as our own. He particulary loved old Diners, and was a trained Dance Instructor and avid Tap Dancer as well. In 1991, Anthony wanted me to come back and perform at a reunion show, which I did and I was grateful to have been able to do it with him again one last time. In 1992, I got a call from Anthony telling me he was in the hospital - I quickly went to him, when I got there - he was very depressed and told me he was HIV+, I was stunned, and AZT was the only drug available at that time. I have already lost so many people already, and in my mind I thought "Oh please no, God don't take him away from me too!" The following year June 1993, he was in the hospital again, and this time he was even more depressed and very angry that he missed the Gay Parade in New York City, but he said " don't you worry, I WILL be there next year." Sometime thereafter, I noticed he didn't seem to be focused during our telephone conversations. We stayed in touch constantly, but I noticed this behavior was becoming increasingly worse, his 33rd birthday passed everything was still okay. Then I became very busy at work, working 10 -11 hour days so August of 93 seemed to come and go like half a minute, but during the last week in August he was on my mind a lot. I started calling his house feverishly everyday, (he was living with his Father at the time,) and I would get no answer - I even started calling late at night in the hope I would wake his Father to no avail. Finally on September 8th, 1993, I called during the day and finally I got his Father on the phone and asked for him, he replied " you know Anthony is dying from AIDS right?" - I left work immediately to be by his side - I spent most of the evening in hospice - he was unable to speak now - so I just rambled on nervously, I asked the nurse on duty if I should stay the night - she said "no, we will call you if there is any change." The next morning the phone call came, it was the hospice, they said " you better come quickly, I'm not sure how much longer he is going to hold on" I immediately got into my car and rushed to his side, I got into his room, his breathing by then had become very labored, I just sat with him and held his hand, and told it was okay to go - he could be with his Mother again. After about 20 minutes or so, I just sat there, and watched as that beautiful soul slipped away from this world and drifted out of his life and mine, it was one of the hardest and most painful thing I ever did in my life, yet also the most precious. There is still not a day that goes by that I don't think about him, it used to be about him dying, then it changed to all of the good times we had, and we really had some great times, fond memories of Holidays and scerets, and things people can never take away from me. It was a priviledge to have know him. I ask all of you, in his memory to protect yourself, have safe sex, use latex condoms - it could save your life - there is still no cure for AIDS - nothing is more precious than your life. - Bill Carnevale
