Ben Addison

He loved singing. We were into similar movies. I remember it was 2001. Moulin Rouge had just come out. He had the cassette. He wanted me to cassette tune. We would sing, you know, Elephant Love Medley and all the other songs from Moulin Rouge. I think our first date was actually going to the movies to see that.

He loved singing. We were into similar movies. I remember it was 2001. Moulin Rouge had just come out. He had the cassette. He wanted me to cassette tune. We would sing, you know, Elephant Love Medley and all the other songs from Moulin Rouge. I think our first date was actually going to the movies to see that.

Oh gosh, what didn't he have? At some point, there was cancer everywhere. And at one point, they were going to cut his leg off because he had bone cancer in his leg and all this other stuff and ended up with stage four terminal brain cancer.

Oh gosh, what didn't he have? At some point, there was cancer everywhere. And at one point, they were going to cut his leg off because he had bone cancer in his leg and all this other stuff and ended up with stage four terminal brain cancer.

John said he wanted to be cremated. We talked funeral plans and filled out all these things, what he wanted to do when he died. To have someone carry his ashes with them when they were in Pelotonia.

John said he wanted to be cremated. We talked funeral plans and filled out all these things, what he wanted to do when he died. To have someone carry his ashes with them when they were in Pelotonia.

You know, that's when he became the star. Ben says everyone wanted to be around John. I jokingly said, you know, he was the queen and I was Prince Philip. I walked five feet behind him and carried the purse or the bag when he's shaking hands and autographing.

You know, that's when he became the star. Ben says everyone wanted to be around John. I jokingly said, you know, he was the queen and I was Prince Philip. I walked five feet behind him and carried the purse or the bag when he's shaking hands and autographing.

He was very charismatic. He would always seem to draw people in.

He was very charismatic. He would always seem to draw people in.

I'm sitting at a bar in the Castro, and my phone rings, and I see it's him. And I go to pick it up, and I'm like, hey, how's it going? Blah, blah, blah. And, ha, ha, ha, ha, hi, how are you? And I'm like... What is going on? And then apparently this new drug that he was on that was supposed to break the brain barrier affects your vocal cords or something else.

I'm sitting at a bar in the Castro, and my phone rings, and I see it's him. And I go to pick it up, and I'm like, hey, how's it going? Blah, blah, blah. And, ha, ha, ha, ha, hi, how are you? And I'm like... What is going on? And then apparently this new drug that he was on that was supposed to break the brain barrier affects your vocal cords or something else.

So here I am sitting in a bar, you know, it's Sunday Funday in San Francisco, literally bawling my eyes out. People are coming over. Are you okay? Did someone die? What's going on?

So here I am sitting in a bar, you know, it's Sunday Funday in San Francisco, literally bawling my eyes out. People are coming over. Are you okay? Did someone die? What's going on?

Whenever I'd land somewhere, you know, he'd take me to the airport and I'd get on a plane and fly somewhere. I'd get off the plane and get to the hotel and call him and say, hey, I'm in so-and-so. How are you? He's like, oh, when I was driving back from the airport, I had a nosebleed and a headache and I went to the hospital and they did a scan and the cancer's back.

Whenever I'd land somewhere, you know, he'd take me to the airport and I'd get on a plane and fly somewhere. I'd get off the plane and get to the hotel and call him and say, hey, I'm in so-and-so. How are you? He's like, oh, when I was driving back from the airport, I had a nosebleed and a headache and I went to the hospital and they did a scan and the cancer's back.

They pay for everything, so I don't get anything. Imagine that.

They pay for everything, so I don't get anything. Imagine that.

They did not want him to take pain medication because in case he would stroke out or have something, they didn't want the pain meds to override any pain that he should have to know that he needs help. So his story was they give him the pain meds through his IVs when he was down there. But at home, even when he seemed like to be in the most excruciating pain...

They did not want him to take pain medication because in case he would stroke out or have something, they didn't want the pain meds to override any pain that he should have to know that he needs help. So his story was they give him the pain meds through his IVs when he was down there. But at home, even when he seemed like to be in the most excruciating pain...