A Hero of One

by Gary N. Snyder

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing a young man I met in a local organization. He presented himself shyly, but his purpose is great. His name is Timothy McNichol. He's a graduating senior in Family Ecology at Mercyhurst College here in Erie, PA. His purpose, or mission if you will, is to make a difference by riding in the Great AIDS Vaccine Ride.

"In August 2001, I'll take 6 days out of my life to ride a bicycle 500 miles from Fairbanks to Anchorage Alaska with 2,000 other people in an event called the AIDS Vaccine Ride. We're riding to raise money for three maverick research teams working toward eradication of AIDS by a vaccine. These researchers are Dr. David Ho's team at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in New York, Dr. Rafirt Ahmed's team at ther Emory Vaccine Center at Emory University, and Dr. Irvin Chen's team at the UCLA AIDS Institute. They are all doing groundbreaking research to find a cure to this debilitating and dehumanizing disease. Over 430,400 Americans have died of AIDS in the United States in the last 19 years. Worldwide, that number jumps to 18.8 million. This year, it's estimated that over 34 million people are infected with HIV. In light of that, I felt it was time for me to do something seemingly impossible." - Tim McNichol

On a simple Wednesday afternoon, at the Mercyhurst College Hammermill Library, Tim and I discussed his passion and future. Having known each other briefly from the community, we were quickly settled down to the task at hand.

Gary: Why do the ride?
Tim: I worked in a local hospice with two PWA patients and also at the Northwest PA Rural AIDS Alliance, not to mention having sponsored the last two World AIDS Days at Mercyhurst. I saw an ad for the AIDS vaccine rides, and I felt a passion of concern. I realized this is one attempt to do my part to help my community, hopefully to spark an interest in doing something for someone else.

How have you been affected by HIV?
I have had firsthand experience with death and dieing. Now the statistics and headlines become a reality. I now know the truth of this dehumanizing and debilitating disease.

How much money is needed for this commitment?
I signed an agreement that I would raise $3400 to be able to enter the ride. This gives the project a guaranteed financial result. When I took this project, I was scared at the reality to ride 500 miles. But I am not going to be driven away from fear. I'm not a superhuman. I'm like you, but I choose to be - to do something.

How much have you raised?
Surprisingly, I just learned (at the time of the interview, early April) that I now have met the commitment to ride. This was the biggest challenge and now that it's happened, the rest is for the cause. The research needs the money being raised greatly. (Included with the next PRIDE News issue is a copy of the donation sheet for the AIDS Vaccine Ride. The PRIDE staff and Tim invite the readership to help the cause. Help make a difference.)

What do you hope to gain from this?
A greater appreciation for human compassion. Finding the internal power of one. Achieving a dream. I want to bring the headlines home, even if they are scary. These (PWAs) are people like you and I. My mother has volunteered to work on the crew for the ride, that's empowering.

How are you training?
I have been gifted with a coach, Gary Thaler from LA, a former rider himself. I'm starting after graduation and will train for 12 weeks straight, right up to the race. I plan to ride around the city and expanding my training to travel back and forth to Buffalo, New York.

What is your aspiration for the future?
After graduation and ride, I hope to move to Portland, Oregon to pursue graduate studies in the area of HIV/AIDS, or possibly a future with the Institute of Peace.

Any final thoughts?
I would love to have a big THANK You to Gary Maas of Gary's flowers on East 38th Street. He helped and continues to help me raise 1700 dollars. His unending contribution, commitment and encouragement are insurmountable. Also I want to thank the Erie community, and the faculty and administration of Mercyhurst College.

About the Author

Gary Snyder Gary Snyder (He/Him), has been involved with Erie Gay News submitting articles since 2005 and coordinating the Annual Pride Picnic kitchen in 2008. He currently serves as an Advisory Board member of the NWPA Pride Alliance [since 2012]. Gary is a graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in HRIM. From 1999 to 2012 he was an active member and then executive officer of the non-profit Burgh Bears social club in Pittsburgh, PA. Currently Gary is employed by the Erie County Department of Health as the HIV Disease Intervention Specialist, serving as a community member of the HIV Planning Group in coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Along with advising the NWPAPA Board, he chairs the Erie County HIV Task Force, serves on the Erie Gay News Editorial Board, and is the President of the AFSCME Union Local 2666.