According to history Lance became a hustler to support his heroin addiction. He supposedly contracted AIDS from infected needles. I have most of his movies on VCR.
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Louis and Rafe -
Yes, as best we know, from what's reported, this is what happened to Lance - and it still makes me cry. That such a beautiful young man could have been taken, before his time, by addiction and illness :-(((
Not to make this into a PSA, or something, but. . . this is why I am always so grateful when people are kind and decent to our models on
Broke Straight Boys or
College Dudes - or any site they might frequent - and offer them a little love and appreciation. Because, even in a small way, it's helpful.
Addiction happens for many reasons, and to many people, from all walks of life. Sometimes it is just the sequel to "having a lark", and getting in too deep. But often, it is an answer that people find, to help deal with deep psychic pains and trauma - having been abused, being poor and feeling hopeless because of it, having gone through terrible things in war or in civilian life: there are so many reasons.
Sometimes, having JUST ONE PERSON who says, "I like you and care about you just the way you are", and taking the time to listen to someone, and hear his pain - is enough to plant a little seed, that will grow into a person's determination to recover, and get better, all on his own. Having two friends, who are recovering heroin addicts, I know that this was the case for them. They are both straight - one a poet, and one a student, and in both cases, it was the love of a few friends who didn't give up on them, and their girlfriends too, who stuck by them - that got them into treatment, and helped them move on with their lives.
Louis knows a whole lot more about the Vietnam experience than most of us here, and so he is welcome to correct me or comment further, but. . . the late Dr. Lee Robbins, from Washington University, a pioneer in psychiatric epidemiology (and I think she is a saint, actually) found that IF Vietnam veterans who were addicted to heroin (and there were a lot of them - an estimated 15% of all servicemen) were able to get home and get lots of support from loved-ones (family and friends): they were often very able to recover on their own, without any other formal drug-rehab program of any kind. . .
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/201...t-vietnam-taught-us-about-breaking-bad-habits
Now, this is significantly different, I think, Louis, from people like "Lance". A lot of people who became models in the '70's, '80s, and even the '90's, were gay, bisexual, or questioning - and had suffered poverty, neglect, and abuse, in their backgrounds. The Vietnam vets Dr. Robbins studied and wrote about, were different. Many of them had come from stable, happy, backgrounds, but wound up in a horrible anarchic jungle war for which they were not prepared, and became addicted to deal with the pain and fear - but when they got home, and got lots of love and support, were ABLE to recover, even (albeit) with significant, lifelong, psychological scars, from the experience.
I think the difference for people like "Lance" was, that many of them didn't HAVE a good, solid base of remembered and current support, to return to. Their demons and their unhappiness was the only thing they ever knew - and these dangerous drugs were the only thing that ever made them feel better. And I would guess that, for anyone who has ever struggled with addiction, job #1 is to find some GOOD experiences, some GOOD feelings, and some GOOD support, from people who love you. . . . that can at least partway substitute for the dangerous drugs that give one a temporary euphoria, and seem to take ALL the troubles away.
In the '70's, '80's, and '90's - a lot of the models who came to us in gay erotica were very much afflicted by great life traumas, and addictions as well. I am sure this is still the case today - though, with the growing acceptance of homosexuality, and the (somewhat) greater tolerance of society at large for people who perform in erotic video - sure, some of them (a lot more of them) come out of a sense of adventure or curiosity - or just needing to pay their latest truck-payment!
But, no kidding, there are still undoubtedly at least some of our models who are hurting people - just like Lance was. That's why, I always hope that each of us will treat every model with whom we interact, as a HUMAN BEING - just like us. They're NOT commodities: they're PEOPLE. Some of them might be doing fine, and just having all kinds of fun. But some of them might have had hard pasts (or presents); some of them might have been abused, or felt unloved by their families, or have traumatic experiences at school or in life. . . . and some of them might have problems with drugs or addiction; or coping with memories of abuse; or might just feel. . . UNLOVED. And guys like that don't HAVE happy memories to go back to, to anchor them, and get them back on the path again, to living in a better way. . . .
So, guys, this is why, I always advocate that, in any interaction we have with any of our models - let's always be nice, and KIND to them. I know, some people contend that this is a commercial site, and we have a right to write negative reviews of a scene. I get that, but I don't feel the same way. If there is a scene I don't like, I will just pass over it and leave it alone. . . because, who knows? Some nice model (who isn't my favourite) and who is feeling kind of sad already, might read it and think: "Wow, that guy really doesn't LIKE me." And if he's struggling with other problems in his life. . . that is only going to make him feel WORSE :-(
By contrast, I think this site is awesome, in that it so often gives us the chance to write models we DO LIKE, and not only praise their performances, but ALSO to get to know them as human beings. We have some great models here - smart, intelligent, caring, and funny people - who are also getting to know US, as decent and interesting people, too.
The nicest and most wonderful thing my b/f, Mr. K., ever said to me, was, "'A', we've both been through so much - - - I think it is time for us to start
mending each other." (When he said that to me, that was what made me WANT to be, his boyfriend - honestly.) And I think this is the great thing about this board. As friends, we get a chance to BE friends, and help mend each other, and mend our friends who are models, and mend the world, generally - albeit, in a very small way. I have some Jewish friends who call this action of working together, to mend each other,
Tikkun olam ~ and though I'm not Jewish, I have learned enough to know that this is an idea which is sacred, in Judaism.
But, beyond that - it's just good sense, and the best way to be human. We ALL have lots of problems. I am really glad that this site practices careful testing, to try and ensure the safety of the models - that's a good thing. I am happy that any model who wishes is allowed to use a condom - because that's still the gold-standard for STD protection. This matters - because people's health and safety matters.
But that's only the beginning. I want to ask everyone, from the bottom of my heart: please be nice, to a model, TODAY. You never know, the seed you might plant: or the subtle or unexpected ways in which some kind words of yours, might make one of our models - who may not be struggling with such huge and terrible problems as we've been discussing in this thread, but who might just feel a little
lost or lonely ~ feel encouraged, and just a little happier, again.
Louis, having had a few friends engaged in all parts of this industry - I, for sure, never want to see ANY model go through what "Lance" went through, again. I think that, as the patrons and consumers, of this industry, we have a moral responsibility to be kind and loving to the models who share themselves with us. . . so that people don't get driven into such desperate and difficult circumstances, as Lance was, years ago. And I also think that - every one of us members can
truly be judged, by how well he treats his
least favourite model.
So, let's be kind, out there. And, God bless you, and rest in peace, David Alan Reis. No one should have to die, because he isn't loved, enough.
"A" XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-i1ESIRKdA
