Following Feleppa’s death, his mother died from
cancer, which only exacerbated his depression.
He said in an interview that he felt he was cursed,
and that he feared his future partners dying more than himself. “I don't want to outlive him. I'd rather
have a short life and not have to go through
being torn apart again,” he told GQ magazine.
In addition to being a reputed singer, Michael
was an avid gay rights advocate and an LGBT
icon. Michael was openly gay, coming out in
1988. He was particularly concerned with
AIDS awareness and prevention, due to losing his partner, Anselmo Feleppa, to the disease.
He created a documentary, “Staying Alive,”
which followed the lives of 6 people affected
by HIV from around the world. He also sang
in concerts to fundraise for charitable causes,
such as Live Aid and The Freddie Mercury
Tribute Concert.
Michael was a laid-back, honest celebrity.
He didn’t censor himself for the media or
believe he had to become the model minority;
instead, he was open about his sexuality and
struggles. Michael didn’t try to hide his issues
with drugs, he openly admitted them and
committed towards reform. He was kind and
philanthropic, donating to many charities,
some completely anonymously which were
only revealed after his death. The world will
truly miss this iconic man and his music.
June 25, 1963-December 25, 2016
Kavya Seth