Mother Chronicles Son's Life To Boost Awareness Of AIDS
Published: Oct 7, 2006
PORT RICHEY - Since her son, King Lee Kleski, died in 1996 at age 33, Joan Thomas Nelson and her family have had special ways of remembering the person who, in her words, "made all the family very happy."
"On his birthday, I bake a birthday cake and talk to him all day," said Nelson, a former Oldsmar resident who now lives in Jennings.
Nelson and her daughters, Ivory and Lori, have created numerous journal entries, poems, drawings and other remembrances of King. In 1996, the family planted and dedicated a memorial tree in Largo's Walsingham Park.
Now, Nelson's tributes to King have reached a national scale. In February 2005, she published a book, "Before, During and After AIDS: A Mother's Love and Memories," a chronicle of her son's six-year battle with the disease that ultimately took his life. She also has hand-stitched a panel for the AIDS memorial quilt project.
She plans to present both Oct. 21 and 22 at Waldenbooks' Author-Thon, a charity book signing that will take place at Gulf View Square mall in Port Richey.
Representing Her Son As Human Being
This marks the second Author-Thon this year in which Nelson will participate. She again will pledge part of her book sale proceeds to the NAMES Project Foundation, which is the national organization that maintains the AIDS Memorial Quilt project.
She will present her panel - and several other representative panels of the AIDS quilt - with the help of Land O' Lakes resident Jeff Thur, secretary of the board of directors of the NAMES Project Foundation. Beyond representing a cause that has become important to her - AIDS awareness and education - Nelson wants her quilt panel to represent her son as a human being and to reflect his life and interests.
"The panel is colored gray and black, his favorite colors," she said. "He had a collection of model ships; some he would reach out and touch when he was sick. So the panel has images of a ship and lighthouse."
King was Nelson's first child.
"It was that smile he could give to everyone, when they looked at him he always had a smile, it was very hard to make him angry, if anything did make him angry, they knew it had to be something very wrong because it took a lot to upset him," she writes at www.joanthomasnelson.com. "He usually always turned the other cheek. He was smart; he was courageous and modest. He amazed everyone who came to know him."
Making Peace, Expressing Love
Thur said through her participation in the memorial quilt project, Nelson selected an ideal way to remember her son.
"The quilt project exists to help friends and relatives make peace and express their love of the person who has passed," he said. "Each panel is handmade by a loved one, to tell us who the person was and what they represented."
By posting portions of the quilt in public places, including schools and churches, the NAMES Project Foundation aims to foster awareness about AIDS.
"When a student sees a picture of a puppy dog, they might ask who the dog belonged to; when they find out the dog belonged to an AIDS patient, they want to know more," Thur said. "This leads to understanding."
Understanding, Nelson said, is what is needed in the fight against AIDS. Although many were empathetic and loving toward King in his final days, her family did encounter uncaring attitudes grounded in homophobic beliefs - experiences that fueled the writing of her book.
"I felt hate at the world, and writing was a constructive way to get it out," she said. "Writing the book helped me open my eyes."
During King's final days, Nelson said her loving family became even closer, sharing long conversations over their favorite meals and snacks.
Now she is proud to represent the NAMES Project Foundation at Author-Thon, to express her love and support not only for her son, but for all those battling the disease that took his life.
This is an emotion she further expresses in her poem "God's Plan," featured on her Web site.
God's Plan
"The road is winding, rough and steep. I have miles to go before I sleep. I know God will lead me through life's weary paths. Although I am very weary and torn When I feel I can walk no more, I know God will carry me through the storm. There you will see God's footprints in the sand. The rest is God's plan.
Written by Joan Nelson for her son, King Lee Kleski
AUTHOR-THON
SOME BACKGROUND: "Before, During and After AIDS: A Mother's Love and Memories" is Florida author Joan Thomas Nelson's memoir about her son, King, and his battle with AIDS. She intends the book as educational for families dealing with AIDS and for parents who seek to understand their gay children.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS: Nelson will be among the authors at the Florida Fall Festival Author-Thon, which will feature more than 30 writers who will sign and sell copies of their books and donate part of their proceeds to a number of local charities. The event is sponsored by Waldenbooks in Port Richey in association with Gulf View Square mall.
A LITTLE HISTORY: Nelson also participated in the first Author-Thon in March. At both events, she represented the NAMES Project Foundation.
WHAT'S NEXT?: The second Author-Thon is planned Oct. 21-22 at Gulf View Square mall in Port Richey.
GET INVOLVED: To learn more, visit www.joanthomasnelson.com.
King Lee Kleski at seventeen. 
Some of King's friends at Maw's first booksigning; November 19, 2005!!